


Survivors Are Born

by bat_addicted_loony



Category: Haikyuu!!, Tomb Raider (Video Games)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - After College, Ancient Japan, Angst, Badass!Tsukki, Badass!Yamaguchi, Blood and Injury, Captivity, Himiko - Freeform, Lots of angry man shooting, Lots of it, M/M, Most Likely Inaccurate Depictions of Ancient Japan, Reincarnation, Sort Of, Survival, Swearing, Tomb Raider Fusion, Tsuki and Yama are both Lara Croft, Tsuki and Yama both kick some serious ass, Yamatai, alternate universe - tomb raider, and get traumatised in the process, but these boys Care for each other So MUCH, can absolutely be read without knowing shit about tomb raider, like there's no actual romantic moments, the 3 A's, tsukiyama can be read as both platonic and romantic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:22:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 38,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23687605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bat_addicted_loony/pseuds/bat_addicted_loony
Summary: Kei joins an archaeological expedition to find the ancient kingdom of Yamatai.The pros are that Yamaguchi is with him.The cons are they actually find the damn place.--(Lara Croft - Tomb Raider fusion with Haikyuu!!Together at long last (??))
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei & Yamaguchi Tadashi, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 22
Kudos: 54





	1. The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Hi one and all!
> 
> Long story short: I replayed the 2013 Tomb Raider game (which I love) and I thought to myself 'which characters do I want to suffer' and this is that unholy love child.  
> To those who wanted this, if you exist: ur welcome. May I have done this hell-fusion justice.  
> To those who didn't want this: hope you enjoy it? Maybe? I tried?
> 
> (Also i drew my own [fanart](https://bat-addicted-loony.tumblr.com/post/615948909512114176/yes-i-drew-fanart-of-my-own-fanfic-dont-look-at) because I’m a loser)

Kei must've been asleep for 3 hours, max, when the storm hit the ship on it's port side, making it lurch with a force strong enough to catapult him and Yamaguchi out of their bunks. His best friend was the first to get his brain working, and he dragged Kei out of the cabin before he could scramble for his glasses. Not that he needed them, the sensation of water coming up to his shins spoke volumes of itself.   
Yamaguchi said something in that panicked voice of his he used when their high school volleyball team was on the losing side. He can't remember what he said, though. The whole thing happened quickly, like an action movie, and he wasn't fully awake yet. In fact, he wasn't sure if this wasn't just all a dream in the first place.  
The sea water splashing on his face was real though. And so was their sinking ship. Yamaguchi yanked him to where Kei knew the stairs to the upper deck were. He was just following blindly without his glasses but if there was anyone he would've trusted blindly, it was his best friend. 

They never made it to the lifeboats. Once they hit the last step to the main deck, the ceiling and floor started cracking and ripping with an earsplitting screech. One side of the ship must've been taking too much water, and the _Gaman_ , the Endurance, was splitting into two.   
Kei couldn't do much except hold onto Yamaguchi for dear life but neither could hold their balance. Once one started to tip over the edge of the rip, the other inevitably followed.

And from there on, there was nothing but black, and water, and the sound of angry thunder.

* * *

  
When Kei comes to, the rain is still hitting like it's personally insulting him. And honestly, it might as well be. He's shivering and can barely see a damn thing in front of him. His glasses were still on board when it went under so he guesses he'll have to get used to this view.   
The wind and thunder are still raging and blocking any useful sounds but he knows the feeling of sand. They must've gotten lucky and hit the storm near land. If he's even more lucky, other members from the crew might've survived, which means he wouldn't have to navigate survival on his own. If he's even _more_ lucky, the ship wouldn't have wrecked at all, but who's keeping track really.

He gets up, squinting in the dark and through the rain for movement or bodies or... anything really. What exactly is the first step of surviving a ship wreck again? He's sure they went through this before they left for the expedition. Yamaguchi even took down notes, he remembers. As if anyone would remember to bring notes while a ship is going down.   
Kei begrudgingly admits to himself he already misses his friend and hopes he made is to the beach too. 

And as if thinking of Yamaguchi made some magic spell happen, he hears, through the chaos of the weather, a familiar voice calling out his name. 

Kei looks around again and there, higher up the beach, on a raised rocky platform, is Yamaguchi, looking around frantically and yelling out his usual nickname.

"Tsukki! Tsukki!!"

Kei stumbles further upright, opening his mouth to yell back. Until he feels a sharp pain on the back of his skull, and he passes out again.

* * *

This time consciousness comes and goes like waking up on a nice Saturday morning. Except a lot less pleasant and a lot more painful.   
Kei can feel someone dragging him over rock and rough sand. Which: auw! His arms are stuck to his torso and his feet are bound together. It's also where he's being dragged from so his cheek is nicely scraping over the floor. The back of his head is also pulsing like he was just hit by one of Hinata's spikes. God, he wishes this was a volleyball match right now...

He also hears the voice of a man. It's rough but high pitched and says strange things at a fast pace, in a language that's definitely not Japanese. Something's very, very wrong.

When he fully regains consciousness, he's upside down. At least, he's relatively sure he is. That sensation of blood rushing to your head is definitely that of being upside down.   
He moves his arms. Or tries to. He's wrapped in what feels like a potato sack and the rope around his feet are what's connecting him to the ceiling. 

He's in a cave, that he's also sure of. The stereotypical echo of dripping water is all around him.  
He can vaguely make out that the room is filled with red candles, for some reason, and there's more human-shaped sacks hanging from the ceiling, and he's also alone. Whoever brought him here must be taking a stroll, or something. Or looking for more washed up young adults to string up. He doesn't particularly care, and he wasn't about to wait to find out.

Kei starts wiggling his arms, grunting. The rope is rough and tight as it's keeping the weight from his body aloft, but he still has the muscles of an athlete. It doesn't take long before he loosens the rope enough to worm his arm out and starts working on undoing the knots around his ankles. He's very grateful right now Kuroo pestered him into doing crunches, during third year summer camp.  
The rope snaps loose, he braces himself. This is going to fucking hurt. 

The rope whips around him as he falls to the cave floor. His body makes a loud smack as his side hits the sandy ground. He wants to scream in pain, but he bites his lip, and all that comes out is an annoyed groan. Just in case his host hadn't completely left the premises yet.   
He doesn't waste much time in getting up before he starts looking for the exit. If he's squinting right, there's only one way to go. Kei braces himself, in case the weirdo who brought him here shows up. He may be bony but he'll use those elbows to at least incapacitate and then run. Maybe. 

The cave itself is strange too. Kei doesn't make himself any illusions about the human-shaped sacks. Best case scenario they're filled with candy like the world's most misleading pinatas. Worst case scenario the human-shapes accurately depicts what's inside. Most likely nothing living. What kind of land did they wreck on, seriously?

Kei's weaving himself trough the cave system when he comes across an alcove with something worse than just the suggestion of dead bodies hanging from the ceiling. There, surrounded by dozens of red candles, is a man, stripped bare, and strung up like a pathetic imitation of Jesus. Kei's vision isn't strong enough to guess how long this poor man has been here but from the smell of it, it's likely been a while.   
He has to get out of here. And fast.

He continues down the tunnels, faster pace this time, when he hears the crazed voice of his attacker again. 

"Where are you going, dearie?" He hears it say in English, echoing through the tunnels. Kei didn't notice how wound up he was until he heard the voice again, making him jump a few inches in the air. "Come back to the warmth, I'll help you."

And on that cheerful note, Kei starts running along the cave tunnels, one hand following the wall, and stumbling over... he didn't want to know whatever was making that odor.

Finally, he sees bright light, clearly not from candles. The exit!   
Behind him he hears insane laughter.

"There's nothing out there, dearie!" It echoes. "There's only bad friends and death, dearie!"

Kei is not interested, thanks. 

It's like a wave of fresh air hits him as he exits the cave and steps into the light of the morning sun, beating down on him. He keeps running though, barely avoiding trees and rocks in his path. His bare feet crunch on the sand and then damn grass. It's then he realises with the part of his brain that's not trying to escape certain doom, that he's running in his pajamas. Because of course the Endurance had to go under in the middle of the night, of all moments in a day.

On his right, he thinks he sees the ocean. On his left, the land goes up, steeply. He comes across an opening between the rocks on his left and wiggles his way between, in the hope to confuse his pursuer, if he was still being pursued at all, he didn't check.

Out of breath, Kei slows down until he's at a standstill, hands on his knees, head still throbbing. Behind him, there's no sound of other footsteps. He's alone again. He's in the valley of a forested area, surrounded by mountains, it seems. Under him there's grass and flat stone. A man-made path maybe? Would it be a good idea to follow it, knowing the one person on this island he got himself acquainted with so far?

Well, he's still walking as good as blind, with his limited vision. There's no way for Kei to see the difference between a bush, an opening or a straight up wall without feeling it up. And the sun may be shining now but he could still hear the faint sound of thunder and feel rain on his face, although thankfully a lot calmer than it was when he was on the beach.

The beach! Would Yamaguchi still be looking for him there? He had no way of contacting him or anyone from the Endurance crew for that matter. And thanks to mister caveman, Kei was now completely disoriented with no way of knowing how far he was from the beach he washed up at.

The best thing to do was probably find something resembling shelter and regain his bearings. He was after all running on 3 hours of sleep and pure adrenaline right now. A moment to sit and think sounds absolutely divine. He could go back to the beach he just passed, start looking from there, later. 

Slowly, Kei started making his way down the old cobbled path, navigating through trees and mountain paths. It eventually brings him to what might be the remains of a small stone building. It still has 3 walls and a bit of the ceiling left. Not a luxury hotel but enough to give Kei a semblance of safety. And it's out of the rain. Right now, that's all he needs.


	2. The Coastal Forests

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did people back in the day express themselves when they thought something was 'cool'??????

_Hotaru and Hachiko met when they were both 7 years old. Old enough to let Hotaru go down to the Coast Forests on his own, as long as he didn't stray too far from the paths. The way down was always a bit tricky, but Hotaru grew up here, he knew his way perfectly fine! Besides, it's not like the path was abandoned. On his way down, he always politely greeted the priestesses, who were usually cleaning up the temple and the shrines along the stairs and hidden between the bushes._

_His favourite spot was a set of rocks near the cliff looking out over the sea. Here's where Hotaru wrote about his life as a citizen of Yamatai, and he was very proud to call himself that._

_One day, while Hotaru was scribbling again, he heard soft sobbing coming from the forest area behind him. Annoyed that he was being disturbed during this very important recording of history, Hotaru got up and made his way to where the noise was coming from. What he found was a little boy, his age, but not nearly as tall, curled up in a ball between two tree trunks, crying._

_"What are you doing?" he asked the boy none too gently. The boy interrupted him after all._

_The boy hadn't been aware of his surroundings, seemingly, because he gasped in surprise when Hotaru spoke. He cleaned his face quickly with his sleeve - Hotaru winced - and sat a bit straighter._

_"I'm-" he began with confidence but then he curled back up, "I think I'm lost..."_

_Hotaru sighed and rolled his eyes. This child..._

_"Where are you from?"_

_The boy sniffed, willing away new tears._

_"Yamamura. The village up on the mountain." Dear Goddess..._

_"What are you doing all this way down," he scolded, "you're almost completely down the mountain, why would you possibly go this far if you don't know the way?"_

_"I..." the boy whimpered, tears now going freely down his freckled cheeks, "I was running... from the other boys in the village." Hotaru didn't let it show, but he winced in sympathy and a little bit of understanding. "They were making fun of my spotty face, they do that all the time, so I just ran and didn't stop."_

_Hotaru sighed again and stepped back._

_"There's ladies at the shrine that way," he pointed back in the direction of the mountain path, the same one going in the direction of his own village, "they'll know the way." And with that, Hotaru turned around to go back to his rocks and writings. He had important work to do. He did not expect for the boy to follow and settle behind him._

_"What's all that?" He asked, his voice still a bit unsteady but he had stopped crying. "Did you write all that? You have really neat handwriting."_

_Hotaru turned and glared at the boy, who was standing behind him, looking over his shoulder._

_"I'm writing down my life as a citizen of Yamatai. It's important work, so you better leave me to it." He promptly turned back to his paper and ink._

_"Why?"_

_Hotaru gripped his pencil a bit tighter._

_"Because it's important." He said shortly. As he continued writing, the boy quietly sat down on the rocks beside him, watching him write, still that confused frown on his face. He wasn't leaving. "In the future," he explained as if talking to a child, which he obviously was, "there will be people wondering about our way of life. It won't always be there, you know." The boy blinked. "Or at least, it won't always be like this. I'm going to be a scribe, my job will be to write down all sorts of things. And like this, people in the future will know about our culture and our Sun Royals."_

_"Oh, I see!" The boy exclaimed. "You want to be a scholar? That's so cool!"_

_Hotaru looked back at the boy as he said this. Cool? No one's ever thought his writing was cool. Not even his parents were very fond of it._

_"Ah- Well.. You know, it's just... It's nothing, really," he stumbled over his words with a blush. The boy didn't notice as he launched into a speech of his own._

_"I'm probably going to be a soldier in the Stormguard. I don't really want to but my dad, he's the general, at the Sun Palace. He sees the Queen all the time," at this, Hotaru's eyes widen a bit in awe, "and he'll probably expect me to become general too someday. But I have really short arms, and I'm not very strong. And I have this splotchy face so no one in the Stormguard will like me. And I've seen the Stormguard when I visit my dad. They're all so scary, and I rather do something with less scary people."_

_The boy woefully stares out unto the horizon, frustrated by his fate but also like he's made his peace with it a long time ago._

_"What's your name? I'm Hotaru."_

_"I'm Hachiko."_

* * *

Somehow, Tadashi knew something was gonna go wrong. He had just hoped it wouldn't be a shipwreck of all things. When Tsukki joined the expedition, three months ago, Tadashi barely gave it a second thought when he signed up too, as an electrician. He, in true Yamaguchi fashion, followed his best friend right out of college with no hesitation, only to panic about it later.   
He'd never been on an expedition before, unlike Tsukki, who had gone on study trips with his fellow Japanese History and Archaeology students, while Tadashi crammed math equations. 

When Tsukki told him about this particular trip, he said he'd probably be gone for 6 months, if not longer, and Tadashi, who had lived with him through college, couldn't stand the idea of not having his best friend with him all the time. It was unthinkable! And the expedition needed an electrician on the ship and during excavations. 

The orientation had been confusing and even more unbelievable than expected. The insurances alone made Tadashi's head spin but all the survival workshops, the first aid classes,... The what-to-do-if-you-get-stuck-underground one was especially frightening.   
Tsukki had to take him aside a few times to help him out of an incoming panic attack. All with that patented mildly annoyed look on his face, but he still did it. Tsukki never questioned Tadashi's decision to join, nor did he ever try to talk him out of it, knowing full well the effort would be futile. And Tsukki was nothing if not conservative of his energy.   
Besides, Tsukki was right about the workshops. If anything, they'd be prepared.

And he was, when the storm hit. Tadashi had already been awoken by the thunder and lightning when he was thrown off his bunk. He had a plan, which mainly began and ended with 'stay with Tsukki'. 

So of course, he lost track of him the second he hit land.

Tadashi has been scouring the beach he washed up on for a good hour and a half now but he has found no crew members and no Tsukki. It takes him another half hour to talk himself out of the panic attack and start thinking in steps again.

He's surrounded by the washed up remains of the Endurance. The best thing to do is look around for useful supplies and start looking for shelter. So that's what he does. On this front, he's pretty lucky.

He finds a ripped up, empty backpack, easily mendable with the ductape he found a little while back. He fills it with rope, a barely working lighter, a tin mug and a - thank god - dry first aid kit. He's been walking along the shore long enough for the storm to calm and let rays of sunshine through, when his bare foot hits something familiar. 

Tsukki's glasses case! He really is good at finding things! 

Their whole cabin must have washed up on this piece of beach because a little further, Tadashi finds one of his shoes, soaking wet of course, and then the other one. Tsukki's entire wardrobe is not far away either, dirty with sand. He grabs two jackets, knowing Tsukki wouldn't mind if he borrowed his, considering the circumstances. He also finds Tsukki's boots, equally soaked. And yet no fellow crew members, nor Tsukki to find. 

Where are they? What could have happened to them? He knows Tsukki fell off the ship same time as him. How could they have gotten so separated?

Tadashi stops his train of thought before he descends into another panic attack and starts thinking about finding shelter instead. Inland seems to be mostly forested area. Maybe there'll be berries Tadashi can gather for food. There's also steep mountains galore so finding fresh water shouldn't be too hard either. 

Tadashi silently thanks the survival workshops as he makes his way into the forest. He walks for maybe forty minutes, the wet shoes and jackets dripping from over his arm, he himself still a bit damp and smelling of salt, when he finds himself in a little forest area surrounded by hills and mountains. It's still raining but Tadashi almost feels... calm. Even Miyagi was never this quiet.

He keeps walking around the small forest until he sees something rather... odd. What looks like a second World War bunker is stood on the highest bit of flat ground of the forest area. He didn't think war soldiers ever settled in the Dragon's Triangle, Asia's very own Bermuda Triangle, but here we are apparently. Tsukki would have a better explanation for this. 

Speaking of which... Tadashi reaches into one of Tsukki's soaked jacket, the one he wore most recently. If memory serves correctly.... Aha! Tadashi pulls out Tsukki's waterproof pocket-sized camera and quickly snaps a picture of the bunker, knowing his friend would definitely geek out when he sees it. 

If he sees it...

Tadashi pulls himself out of the rabbit hole again. The inside of the bunker is open and a good place to start a fire. He might even get his clothes dried. With that plan set in mind, Tadashi gets to work. Building the fire and setting up the makeshift clothing line was relatively easy and didn't take long. He was still running on the adrenaline of the crash, he figured he could explore the area and look for those berries. He'll definitely get hungry at some point so might as well be ready.

During his walk, Tadashi discovers the area is kind of a dead end, though. Any mountain walls are too steep to climb and other exits are blocked by heavy, sharp bushes. Guess he'll have to return to the beach at some point after all.

As he walks around, Tadashi suddenly stumbles upon something that completely erases any positive thought and hope for a positive outcome to this adventure. Up in a tree hangs the remains of a man, stuck in a hunting trap for the rest of eternity. Tadashi gasps and steps back, hand shooting up to cover his face. There's not much of the man left except clothes and skin here and there, but nature had clearly already taken it's bite. Under the corpse are his fallen weapons. A bow and a quiver filled with arrows. 

Tadashi gets himself together enough to decide the bow could be handy. He'd be able to hunt. Not that he'd ever done that, but hunger is a bitch. He quietly pays his respects to the felled hunter and slowly takes the bow and quiver, as if the body would suddenly start moving if he makes too much noise.

Back at camp, his shoes have become considerably less soggy. Good enough, he figures as he puts them on. He was getting sick of getting sticks in his foot and leaves stuck between his toes. He put on one of the jackets too, the cold from the rain finally starting to get to his bones, and makes his way outside again, bow in hand and quiver on his back. He remembers seeing some deer and bunnies in the area. 

* * *

Tadashi killed his third rabbit when he realised he doesn't know how to skin an animal. He figures Tsukki or one of the crew members might know and bags the animals for later. He sits at his little fire in the bunker until the rain stops completely before getting impatient and leaving for the beach again.

He hopes someone else might have washed up by now. He hopes in vain. The beach is still empty of any life forms besides crabs and seagulls. He's still alone. 

Tadashi thinks his way out of another spiral when he spots something coloured bright yellow in the sand. He definitely knows that box. That's where the crew kept some of their walkie talkies! Elated, he runs towards the box and opens it. There's still two left and they're working! Or at least, the batteries are full and there's static coming out of them. Tadashi yelps victoriously, feeling like his luck keeps coming back. He hopes he didn't just jinx himself.

He tests the walkies for a connection.

"This is Yamaguchi of the Endurance, I'm stranded on the beach on the west, can anyone hear me?" He calls into it. 

His response is static. He tries again.

"This is Yamaguchi of the Endurance, is anyone there?"

No response.

"Tsukki, can you hear me?"

No response.

Tadashi's shoulders sag in disappointment. Either the connection is shit or no one has gotten their hands on a walkie talkie yet. The third option made him want to vomit. He was gonna have to do this alone for now.

* * *

Walking more south along the shore, Tadashi finds the entrance to another forest area between two mountain walls. Since walking around the wreck site and radioing didn't work, he's not sure what to do besides walk around and wait for some good ideas to hit him. Or luck again, either would work.

Fortunately for Tadashi, it'd be luck.

The forest area continues up a hill, following an old man-made path. When he walks along the path, he stumbles upon the remains of another bunkers, with barely a bit of ceiling left, and sheltering underneath it...

"Tsukki!"

Kei shoots up, awoken from his nap. That name could only be from one person.

"Yamaguchi?" He barely gets out before he's engulfed by 63 kilograms of best friend. He only hesitates for a second before hugging Tadashi back. 

"When I didn't find you on the beach, I thought... You'd-" Tadashi's voice is wobbling as if he's about to cry again. Yep, that's his best friend alright.

"I'm okay though, as you can see," Kei says, pushing Tadashi back a bit so he can at least breathe.

"I haven't found anyone else yet either," Tadashi leans back and rubs his eyes with Kei's (!!) jacket, "I've started to fear the worst. But if you're here, others might've gone inland as well."

"Yeah, you're the first one I've seen too. Well... 'seen'." Kei gestures to his face and Tadashi giggles.

"Good thing I found this then," he takes out the glasses from his pack and gently puts them on Kei's face, "that's better, I assume."

"Bless your soul and your parents for making you."

"Tsukki, my god."

The two of them roll back into their usual talk as if nothing has happened. It's a bigger comfort than either of them realise. 

"I got attacked by a native," Kei mumbles after Tadashi has given him his shoes, a jacket, one of the walkie talkies and his camera with the picture of the bunker. They have settled next to each other, near a new fire. It's the first real rest Tadashi has had since the storm. "Or at least, I think he was native."

"Attacked?"

"Yeah... He spoke English. He lives in this cave filled with...," Kei gulps before he continues, voice subconsciously growing quieter, "with dead bodies." Tadashi sits a bit straighter, he seems to stop breathing. "He strung them up, like he... collects them or something, I don't know. He talked crazy too."

"Did he... to you?"

"Yes... But I got free, as you can see. And he only got me in the head once. I'm fine," he says quickly before Tadashi can start mothering him. Tadashi remains quiet though, almost contemplative.

"I got this bow and arrow from a dead body too," he says softly. Kei almost has to strain to hear him. "I thought he just had a hunting accident but... he was hanging from a tree. Do you think he was also...?"

Kei thinks it over but then shrugs. 

"Doesn't really matter, does it."

Tadashi hums. 

The two of them jump when they hear static suddenly coming from Kei's walkie talkie. They take two seconds for their brains to catch up before Kei is scrambling for the device.

" _This is Miyamoto from the Endurance, anyone there?_ "

"Yes! Yes, this Tsukishima, I hear you!" Kei speaks into the walkie in one breath.

" _Tsukishima! Thank god, you made it! Yamaguchi with you?_ " Miyamoto, the lead archaeologist of the expedition, says.

"Yes, he's with me, right here."

" _Hah, figured you two would still be attached by the hips even during a shipwreck,_ " Kei wasn't sure if he took offense to that or not. Tadashi, next to him, was grinning from ear to ear, " _listen, we're gathering everyone we can contact at this little mountain village, it's a bit of a climb but there should be an entrance to the stairs leading up to it not far from the beach where we wrecked._ "

"Roger that. We'll start getting ready to join you right now."

" _Good. We'll be waiting for you two_."

"What's the status so far, Miyamoto?" Kei asked as he gestured to Tadashi to gather up their stuff.

" _Not great, honestly. I'm here with a few people but I can't get a hold of most of the crew I'm afraid. We've got a great vantage point from up here though and Gou has a radio we can use to call for rescue._ "

"What about our location. Any idea where we are?"

" _Actually, yeah. We were heading towards an island we thought could be Yamatai when the storm hit. Looks like we're on that island now._ "

Kei turns to Tadashi wide eyed, who looks back equally baffled.

"You're kidding."

" _I would never! Look around when you head up the mountain. Whoever lived here left some interesting marks._ "

Kei doesn't want to exaggerate but he's pretty sure the last time he felt this giddy was when he blocked Wakatoshi in their first year. Tadashi also seems to have a hard time not skipping around the camp while he extinguishes the fire, giddy with the knowledge that there are more survivors out there. 

"I can't wait to get going then."

" _Great. We'll see you soon then!_ "

Kei turns the walkie off and got up. He and Tadashi look at each other with anticipation.

"Holy shit."


	3. Yamadera 山寺

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some Japanese but my knowledge is limited and does not include Old Japanese AT ALL so if any historians or Japanese linguists pass by, I'M SORRY. Anyway, I kept the place names pretty simple. The game has names for every area Lara comes across (aCroft... hah..) and I just literally translated them to Japanese as they may or may not have done back in the old days. So the village on a mountain near a temple would be mountain, or yama, and temple, or otera, simplified to dera for pronunciation reason. I mean, my birthplace is literally called "Mountains of Gerard", it's not that much of a stretch, right? Right. I should've done more research but lazy.

_They're 8 when Hachiko visits Hotaru's house for the first time. The two had been meeting up regularly since their first meeting at the Coastal Forest. The more they met up, the more confident Hachiko became in navigating the island. Hotaru figured he should be. He lives at the centre of the island, he can go anywhere from his house._

_Hotaru's house, on the other hand, was situated more to the west in Yamadera, somewhere between Yamamura and the mountain temple the little village was named after. When he gave Hachiko a quick tour, the young boy marveled at the architectural details the houses in Yamamura didn't seem to have._

_"You didn't tell me you live in a palace like the Queen!"_

_"I don't!"_

_So when Hotaru had enough of Hachiko's gaping, he asked him if he wanted to see inside if he didn't believe him and Hachiko almost cried out of joy. Hachiko cries a lot, Hotaru discovered._

_His parents pushed him to ask Hachiko to stay the night, instead of just letting him look inside the house. His older brother, especially was happy to see that Hotaru has made a friend. So with Hachiko's mother's permission, the two of them spent the entire day and evening playing and talking._

_"I don't understand why you think my house is more interesting than yours," Hotaru said for the millionth time that week._

_"I dunno...." the two of them were sitting on the porch facing the ocean. From Hotaru's house, high up the mountain, they had an amazing view of the sunset. "You have so many rooms! Mother and I only have two. And I think your roofs and the doors are prettier."_

_"Huh?" Hotaru put down his tea cup with a frown._

_"I don't know, okay! It's just more fancy!" Hachiko huffed. "The village here is just fancy in general. Our stairs and bridges are made of wood, not stone."_

_"Hmm... Weird."_

_"I think it's because where I live, everyone works outside or at the market. Here everyone works inside their houses so they have to make their house fancy so they don't hate working inside."_

_Hotaru contemplated this. It's true that most people in his village were sons and daughters of politicians or scholars and the like, and he knew he liked writing more when he was somewhere nice, so it made sense._

_"Yeah, that's probably it!"_

_The two fell silent as they watched the sun disappear behind the sea and they finished their tea._

_"What would you wanna do if you didn't become Stormguard?" Hotaru suddenly asked._

_"Hm.." Hachiko kept looking towards the sea, "I'd wanna take a boat and see where the sun goes after it sets." Hotaru laughed._

_"What are you talking about? The Sun Queen makes the sun set and rise at her will."_

_"Well yeah, but where does she make it go? It can't go under the sea or it would just extinguish, right?"_

_"Maybe she puts it on fire again in the morning?"_

_"Maybe.. That's what I'd like to find out. If I didn't become Stormguard."_

_Hotaru thought about this for a little while before responding. It was true that there wasn't a lot of information about the world outside their little island. Who knows what kind of history was out there._

_"I'd go with you. If I didn't become a scholar."_

* * *

Tadashi had never seen Kei in action before. He knew his best friend could turn into a nerd in an instant whenever history or dinosaurs were involved but this was something else completely.

The two of them started their hike up the mountain an hour before sunset. The sun setting behind them and the torches in their hands gave the murals and frescoes on their way up an ethereal feeling. Kei was on cloud nine. 

"Look at all this," he says for the millionth time. "They're all different but they depict the same thing."

"Right, Himiko," Tadashi echoes fondly.

"Right," Kei stumbles, "So I've said, I guess." He does that thing when he's embarrassed, Tadashi notes with amusement. He looks away and his ears turn red and he's probably pouting right now. Tadashi chuckles.

"Go on, tell me," he says. Kei doesn't give him the satisfaction at first, but he's still a nerd. As he talks, he has this tone in his voice. A tone that sounds a lot like a documentary voice over. 

"Well, obviously they depicted their royals all in the same way as her," he says, gesturing to a fresco with his torch, "Red gown, fancy hair, spiky halo. But Himiko is the one that always shows up biggest or most prominent. And while the kings and queens are always depicted with their feet on the ground, Himiko is almost always shown with clouds under her. Look."

The fresco in question shows citizens of Yamatai worshipping over their farmlands, their hands reaching up towards an elaborately dressed woman who looks down upon them from the clouds with a mother-like gaze. 

"She seems protective over her people," he tells Kei.

"That's because she probably was," Kei responds as they keep going up, occasionally pausing at a new mural. "The Chinese texts describe her as a benevolent ruler with shamanistic powers to control the weather. With a Queen like that, crops would never fail, and with an island like this, defense would be really easy. Especially since she had her own army they called the Stormguard."

"You really think she had powers over the weather?" Tadashi wonders, skepticism clear in his voice. "Like Storm in Xmen?"

"Well, no. Most likely, the people needed explanations for the natural phenomena around them, just like every religion, and Himiko must've stepped up to take the credit. If the crops were bountiful, she'd say it was because she's happy. If the crops failed, she'd say it was because the people had displeased her. Or something like that. We'll know for sure when we find actual evidence."

For a second, Tadashi wonders if Kei ever spoke this much when they were still playing volleyball. He's so glad he gets to see him like this. Suddenly, every regret about this journey disappeared as Kei kept speculating.   
"When she passed away, they must've still been worshipping her, with the way she's depicted everywhere," he approaches one of the white wall paintings they've been seeing everywhere. Tadashi remembers seeing some in the first bunker too. "These paintings aren't as old as the murals. Someone was on this island in the last... decade, I'd say, and they worshipped Himiko too."

"That's kind of amazing, isn't it?" Tadashi interjects, holding his torch closer. The sun had all but disappeared behind the horizon. "A goddess that was revered for so long... She must've been pretty impressive." 

"Maybe more impressive if her kingdom hadn't disappeared without a trace..." Kei mumbles and keeps going. Tadashi can see an orange glow further up, not far from where they are. Likely from the crew's campfire.

"We're almost there," he says, "ready to geek over some old buildings?"

"Shut up, Yamaguchi."

"Sorry, Tsukki."

* * *

They soon reach the outskirts of an old village where the people lived rather wealthy, if the gold designs on the door openings and elaborate roofs are anything to go by. Kei refrains from jumping up and down like a little kid and embarrassing himself even more but most of the buildings seem to be intact and it's the best. He and Tadashi calmly make their way down the path when Tadashi suddenly stops and freezes up.

"That's not a campfire," he mumbles.

"What?"

"The buildings," he points higher up in the village, "they're burning."

And with that, the bushes around them start rustling. Kei backs away from them as men in military clothing and big guns, huge fucking guns, emerge from behind trees and buildings, their weapons - those big goddamn guns - pointed straight at him and Tadashi. His friend hasn't moved an inch since he spotted the burning buildings. Kei figures these guys - that's a fucking automatic rifle - might be behind that. He slowly raises his hands, gently nudging Tadashi to do the same.

They yell something at them in a language neither of them can comprehend. Kei thinks it might be Russian. When the men see their confusion, they switch to English.

"Put your weapons on the floor," one of them says in a rough, loud voice, "slowly."

Kei kneels down to put his torch on the ground but Tadashi still hasn't moved.

"Yamaguchi," Kei hisses. 

"Be quiet!" another man yells, his pistol pointing right at Kei's temple. This seems to shock Tadashi out of his trance as he slowly takes his bow from his back and puts it down with shaking hands. As soon as he's back up, the men descend upon them roughly. The man with the pistol grabs Kei roughly by the arms and pulls them behind his back, tying his hands together. Tadashi flinches when they move towards them, hard, and two men grab him by his shoulders with grips that's gonna leave bruises, yelling at him to stay still and keep quiet. Kei's not even sure Tadashi understands what they're saying. He never really improved his English through the years. He hears Tadashi whimper as they tie his hands as well. When they're secure, the men start pulling them higher up the mountain, deeper into the village, towards the burning buildings. Kei squashes down his frustration about all the history currently turning into ashes. Not the time, not the place. 

They're taken to the center of the chaos where Kei sees Miyamoto and a few other Endurance crew members tied up and sitting on the grass, guns pointed in their direction. The men say something in Russian and push him and Tadashi on the ground next to them. Kei can see more of them running around the burning buildings, searching for something. Tadashi flinches again when they hear gunfire not too far off. The men turn to each other, calmly talking in Russian and English alike. Miyamoto takes the chance to tell them what happened. 

"They came out of nowhere," he says, agitated, "Captured the four of us while three more of our guys started running. They started burning he houses then. To flush them out. There are more waiting to ambush anyone else who might still come."

"Yeah, like us," Kei sighs. Tadashi is shivering next to him and he knows for a fact that it's not due to the temperature. But he knows nothing he says will be a comfort. The sight of those massive guns alone ruins that immediately. "What the fuck do they want?"

"No fucking clue, Tsukishima. But they don't seem to hold back in keeping us alive." One of the men turns and Miyamoto quickly sits back and shuts up. Kei also keeps his mouth shut as he looks around. Then the man starts coming towards them and walks along them like a cat watching it's prey of sitting ducks. He stops in front of Tadashi, leering at him, and Kei has to physically hold back crawling in front of him as a very pathetic human shield. The man hums, and shivers roll down Kei's spine. 

In a flash, the man has reached out to Tadashi and pulled him up by the elbow. He's studying Tadashi's face, who's distinctly doing his best to not look at the man before him. Then the man says something that will haunt both boys' nightmares for months, if not years.

"I always like 'em young an' squirmin'."

And with that, he starts pulling Tadashi away from to group, behind an intact building. Kei can do nothing but watch in horror as Tadashi looks back desperately, until they're out of sight.

The man drags Tadashi into the wooden house and pushes him against the wall. There's only the doorway that grants him a view of the outside and all he can see is burning and Tadashi wants to die as he feels the man's hand - disgusting hand - crawl up his neck and down what's exposed of his collarbone. Tadashi instinctively moves away from the touch but the man won't let him, grabbing him roughly by the chin as he brings their faces closer together. In a panic, Tadashi rams his knee into the man's crotch and crawls away as the man doubles in two and groans, loudly. He recovers quickly as he grabs Tadashi's legs and pulls him to the floor, where he quickly crawls on top of him. Tadashi cries out at the weight, but he can feel the rope around his wrist snagging on a nail stuck in the floorboards. He headbutts his attacker as he feels hands in unsavory places and rips his hands loose.

"No!"

The man has lost patience with his conquest and takes out his pistol, pointing it at Tadashi, who reflexively slaps it away from him. They struggle over control of the gun and the Russian seems to gain the upper hand as he starts pushing the barrel under Tadashi's chin. Tadashi grunts as he too starts pushing the gun away from him and towards his attacker, using the muscles developed during volleyball practice to win the dual. The man's hand slips and the gun fires just as Tadashi has pushed the gun right at the Russian's eye. 

The man's body twitches and then slackens and Tadashi scrambles to get from under him, taking the gun with him and pointing it at the dead body, making sure it's never getting up again. He didn't even notice as the world had grown silent around him as panic and instinct took over. Sound returns as Tadashi slowly realises what just transpired. What he just did. He swallows and involuntarily releases a sob, before slowly inching his way out of the building. 

Almost in a daze, Tadashi looks around the corner to check for more soldiers before sneaking his way back to his crew members. He barely registers that he's freeing Kei from his bonds, who had looked white as a sheet ever since he heard the gun shot, but visibly relaxes when Tadashi emerged unharmed, at least physically. 

"What happened in there?" he asks. Tadashi doesn't respond, just works on getting the rope loose enough for Kei to slip out. Once he does, Kei carefully takes the pistol from him and starts freeing their crew members as well. 

Suddenly something down the mountain explodes, likely the fire found some sort of gas, and everyone, both military men and Endurance crew, start running around in a panic.

"Yamaguchi, follow me," Kei gently grabs Tadashi by the wrist and starts leading him away. He silently notes how their roles from the ship wreck have reversed. He hides them behind some wooden cover as he watches his crew member get slaughtered by the military men. What did these assholes want?! 

Kei sees an opening in a smoldering building and starts pulling Tadashi towards it. He gestures for him to climb inside, making sure no one saw them enter, and then follows him in. They find the building empty of enemies but not devoid of fire. Kei quickly maneuvers them through the rooms and up the stairs, where one of the window openings leads to a rocky platform higher up the village. This time he climbs through first, checking for enemies, and then starts pulling Tadashi through, right as one of the men rounds the corner. Kei doesn't wait for him to alert others and just shoots him in the chest in the split second it took for him to decide whose life he values more. The men who are murdering his friends, or Tadashi.

Tadashi once again begins to shake and Kei has to yank him into running up the village path. He thinks they're almost in the clear when they run into another burning building, this one looking more like the remains of a temple, where three more of those men are gathered in front of. They notice the two of them immediately and raise their weapons - BIG FUCKIN GUNS. Kei shoots at one of them but misses, and pushes him and Tadashi behind cover. 

"Shit shit shit shit."

One of the men approaches their hideout and Kei doesn't hesitate to shoot him in the head once he's close enough. The other two are shooting at them from behind cover. Kei briefly risks coming from behind the stone wall to quickly loot the body he just dropped and then zooms back into hiding. He gives the new gun to Tadashi.

"Yamaguchi, I need you here," he says. Tadashi doesn't blink or react in any way. He just stares wide eyed to the ground. Kei growls. "Tadashi." This time his friend reacts and turns his wide eyed stare to Kei. "I need you to do it again." He points to the second pistol in Tadashi's lap, who wordlessly takes the gun in hand and moves into a crouch position. "Just like when we were blocking," Kei says, "when I say so, go up and shoot whoever you see. Got it?" Tadashi nods. He's shaking again but he seems to be present now. Or something resembling that at least.

Kei hears the men shooting at their cover, pieces of stone fly over their heads. When the shooting stops, Kei yells out "now!" and the two of them shoot at their reloading enemies. One drops to the ground, hit in the heart, the other cries out in pain as Tadashi hits him in the arm. They take their opportunity and Kei starts sprinting towards the burning building, Tadashi close behind him. They slide underneath the burning floorboards, sure their enemies won't follow them in here. Kei just hopes there's an exit too. The two of them crawl on hands and knees through the building, avoiding fire as much as they can. Then Tadashi spots it: he points at a wall that's still standing with a high window leading to another platform higher up the mountain. Tadashi goes first, jumping up the ledge and crawling his way through.

When Kei goes to follow, part of the ceiling falls down in burning bits and pieces on top of him. He grunts and keeps going, jumps to the window and climbs through it once again thanking Kuroo for those crunches. They're on a plateau that's not reachable from the village and start running, running, running until they can't anymore and then they're jogging. Until Kei collapses under his own weight.

"Tsukki!" Tadashi stops and checks Kei over, who groans in pain and rolls up one side of his pants, revealing an angry burn taking up almost half of his lower left leg. 

"Shit."


	4. Yamamura 山村

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't actually know how radio towers work.  
> Also I fear the chapters are only gonna get longer from here on, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

_They were 12 when Hotarou met up with Hachiko at their usual spot on a summit looking over Yamamura and found his friend curled up at the edge of the cliff. As they grew older, Hachiko became better at controlling his tears so seeing him cry silently like this, made Hotaru worry._

_"Hachiko?" he asked softly, slowly approaching him. "What's wrong?"_

_Hachiko didn't respond immediately, so Hotaru sat next to him quietly, knowing his presence would help calm him. Eventually, Hachiko spoke._

_"We received a letter from the Sun Palace."_

_Hotaru looked at his friend, putting two and two together._

_"How?" he simply asked. Hachiko sighed deeply, his sorrow plain._

_"Some ambassadors from a distant kingdom have been visiting the Palace," he explained, voice shaking, "Apparently they had plans aside from making friendly with the Queen." Hotaru scoffed at the idea. How dare anyone have bad intentions towards their rulers? "Father found out. A fight broke out. They'll be sending his... remains back to us soon."_

_Hotaru sat back, shoulders slack. He felt as defeated as Hachiko looked. The idea alone that someone wanted to hurt their Queen was unheard of. Knowing his friend suffered the indirect consequences made him want to cry alongside him. Gently, he took Hachiko's hand in his own and squeezed._

_"I no longer want to be Stormguard."_

_"What? Why?" Hotaru softly exclaimed, surprised._

_"What happens to my mother now that father is gone? What if I perish in service as well? She'll be all alone."_

_He understood. But..._

_"Then I won't become a scholar at the Palace either." This made Hachiko look up for the first time._

_"What? Hotaru, no!"_

_"I can be a scholar here, at home too. I don't need to be in the Palace for that."_

_"But what about the Royal Library? Hotaru, you've always wanted to work there!"_

_"I'm not going to the city if you're not coming with me," Hotaru exclaimed, hiding a rare blush. Hachiko moved back in surprise, not used to seeing his friend so earnest, especially when it came to him. He smiled and squeezed their linked hands._

* * *

In all the chaos, the men at the the temple village never thought to take away Tadashi's backpack and quiver when they had captured them. So after Tadashi had succesfully dragged Kei to another - this time, hopefully, abandoned - village, he had the first aid kit to take care of Kei's burned leg. Tadashi held him up with one arm of his shoulders and the other around Kei's midrif, Kei hobbling beside him, dragging his injured leg over the dirt. He tried to keep quiet, to not make Tadashi's worrying worse, but burns are sons of bitches of wounds and he couldn't help some grunts and whimpers escaping him as Tadashi brought him to a sturdy looking, wooden house. It had started raining again and they found themselves at the base of a mountain village. The houses at the base surrounded a roofed statue in the center, like some kind of small square, or maybe a marketplace, since there were old baskets lying around and stray chickens making their way around town. More houses were built on the plateaus and into the mountain walls circling the square up into the mountains to the east. The west was a cliffside going straight down to a forest and looked over the ocean. 

The house Tadashi and Kei settled in, ironically, seemed to have been the home of someone working in ancient Japanese medicine. 'Kanpo' Kei whispers while Tadashi brings out the first aid kit and starts working on cutting Kei's pants open. Kei winces as Tadashi gently pulls the fabric off the ugly wound. 

"This is gonna suck," Kei sighs. Tadashi hums and nods somberly, making Kei raise his eyebrows. Should he really let his friend work on his leg? While he still seems to be out it? Tadashi immediately stops his train of thought as he dumps alcohol on the wound and Kei has to bite his lip to not scream the whole island together. It doesn't stop there but Tadashi is quick to rub the wound clean and then cover is with a salve specifically for burns. It's still gonna scar like a bitch but at least it can start healing now. Tadashi moves from Kei's side and puts the tin mug outside in the rain. Kei's looks on confused and panting. That somehow took all the energy he had left, and he feels like passing out any second now. 

"Don't sleep yet," Tadashi says quietly. Was that the first time Tadashi had spoken since the other village? Kei couldn't keep his thoughts straight anymore. "Don't. I need you to take these painkillers first."

"Tired, Yamaguchi," Kei mumbles, his back slowly sliding down the wall he was leaning against. 

"Tsukki, no," he said curtly, taking back the mug, now filled with rainwater. He pushes it and two pills into Kei's hand. "These fist. Then you can sleep."

Kei's tired brain marveled at Tadashi's permission to sleep, so he quickly swallowed the pills and two gulps of rainwater before lying down on his back and promptly slipping into dreamland. Through the sleep haze, he can still feel Tadashi hands on his shoulder, keeping him steady even in unconsciousness. 

* * *

When next he wakes up, Tadashi had started a small fire, near the entrance of the house. It's still raining outside but the grey light meant that morning had come without those men from yesterday finding them. His friend is sitting with his back to him, near the fire, a new bow propped up against the wall, plucking a chicken. From where Kei is laying - on a futon, when did Tadashi drag him on a futon - he can see Tadashi's shoulders hunched up to his ears. He really didn't want to, but they should probably talk about what happened. If only to get Tadashi to stop looking like... That.

"Have you heard from anyone?" he asks softly as to not startle Tadashi, sitting up with a groan. His leg was still hurting and stiff, but at least it was a lot less bad. They should probably bandage it soon. To his credit, Tadashi doesn't jump as he plucks the last of the feathers.

"No," he grabs a simple knife from inside his shoe and carefully starts cutting up the chicken, knowing only halfway what he was doing. "I tried calling them. They didn't respond."

"That could mean a lot things."

"Hm."

The two of them fell silent again as Tadashi worked and Kei maneuvered himself to sit beside him, looking out through the doorway. He watched as Tadashi salvaged what he could and speared the pieces of meat on his arrows, putting them over the fire. 

"I found these for you," Tadashi says when he finishes, shoving what looks like an old journal, some berries and a jar towards him. "I looked around while you rested."

"You haven't sat still a second since we got here, have you," Kei lightly scolded as he popped the berries in his mouth, "Did you sleep at all?"

"I was hungry."

"Right," Kei sighs and looks at the jars. It contained some mushrooms, probably used by the person who lived here for medicinal purposes. The house was simply furnished, having only 2 rooms and seeming more like a shack rather than a home. The room they were in had the remains of a low table and moth-eaten pillows lying around. There was the futon Kei slept on, some cupboards and a stool. The other room seemed to have had much more thought into it, containing an antique wardrobe with small square drawers, probably where the medicinal ingredients were kept, a working table and a large wooden barred window with plants hanging across it. The window faces the square, probably to get the most sunlight. Though Kei felt like it only ever stormed on this island. 

He picked up the journal next and hummed in thought.

"Seems like Kamakura period. That's strange..." he says, "Yamatai was said to have disappeared around the fourth century. I didn't think people had lived here for so long."

"If there's World War II bunkers, Kamakura doesn't feel like that much of a stretch," Tadashi notes, bringing his knees up and leaning his head against them. Kei nodded, agreeing, and opened the journal. There wasn't much writing but the script was readable, if a bit of chicken scratch-y and old fashioned. Tadashi read along next to him and he angled the journal so they could both read comfortably.

From what they could decipher, the journal entries were written by a boy named Hachiko, about how he wanted to copy his friend in writing about his life so people from the future could learn about his life. "Smart boy," Kei mumbles. Hachiko seemed to have written mostly about his days playing with his friend Hotaru and his mother's work as an apothecary keeper and village doctor. The boy didn't seem to have kept up with his writings though as there were only a few entries. Tadashi chuckles.

"Their names have the same kanji as ours," he says, "These boys."

"Yeah... Odd coincidence," Kei puts the journal aside, gesturing for Tadashi to put it into his shoddy backpack. "If we weren't on the run, I'd be losing my mind over that." At that, Tadashi tenses up again and a frown starts forming over his eyebrows. "We should really talk about what happened."

"Gou still had the radio, right?" Tadashi interrupted.

"What?"

"The radio. To call for rescue? Gou still had it back at the other village?" Tadashi turns to him, still tense but turning his frown into one of determination.

"Right. And he ran off when all hell broke loose..."

"We wouldn't need a radio to contact help if we had a radio tower, right?" 

Kei chuckles, "Uhh, you're the electrician, here, you tell me."

"I saw a radio tower, higher up the mountain," Tadashi crossed his legs and sat straighter, taking the now done chicken off the fire. "I saw the light working from here, it's most likely still functional. We could make our way up there." Kei winced.

"I don't think I'm gonna be able to walk up a mountain," he says, "with my leg like this..." Tadashi winces as well, and wordlessly handed Kei one of the arrows with roast chicken leg on it. The two of them ate in silence for a while, contemplating their next steps. Then Kei spoke up again.

"You could make the hike."

"Tsukki..." Tadashi sighed, "I'm not going to leave you here alone while you're injured." 

"I can handle myself from here. I have a gun, I know how to use it. Besides, I know you won't be long." 

Tadashi swallows. "What if there's more of those guys up there?"

"You shoot them."

"Tsukki-"

"No, Yamaguchi. These guys are fucking crazy and they don't hesitate to shoot us either, you saw what they did."

Tadashi stayed silent, face turning somber.

"It's either kill or be killed... I know you don't like it but if we want to survive, we'll have to defend ourselves and sometimes that means.. killing people..." Kei released a breath as he said this, knowing full well the morality wasn't sound but he knows he's not spouting bullshit either. These men, no matter their reasoning, were dangerous. And it was going to cost them dearly if they didn't become ruthless in return. If he thought what happened to their crew mates was true, it already had cost them. 

"How would I even hike up there," Tadashi asked quietly, "I went out there, most of the bridges going up the village have rotted or broken down and I didn't find a direct path up." 

Kei considered this for a while and then grinned. "Guess we'll have to see if volleyball was handy for something other than watching Hinata serve a ball into Kageyama's head.."

Tadashi briefly choked on his chicken, stuck between laughing and saying "huh??"

"You're gonna have to climb your way up. Maybe go back to the other village, at least one of those assholes must've had climbing gear to get around."

"Go back?!" Tadashi exclaimed. 

"To call for rescue. We have to call for rescue, Yamaguchi," Kei said, looking straight at Tadashi, "or we're never getting off this damn island."

Tadashi considered this for a while, then sighed, shoulders slumped. "Alright," he said somberly, "but I'm gonna keep tabs on you via the walkies."

"Of course," Kei assures him. 

Before he leaves, Tadashi helped Kei set up camp on his own, checking up his leg again. He tells Kei to let it breathe a little longer before wrapping it in bandages. Kei tells him he'll be bored enough as it is, so Tadashi defiantly set him to work on plucking more chicken. Kei complies with a pout. Tadashi also readies his backpack, bringing the tape, rope, the medical kit - leaving some more salve and painkillers with Kei, the lighter and quiver. He also puts the small knife back in his shoe, straps the second pistol to his belt with a diy holster made out of previously mentioned ductape, and pulls the bow over his head to settle it on his back. 

"You look like you're about to go off to war," Kei humorlessly jokes. He may have urged Tadashi to take off on his own but that didn't mean he enjoyed the thought of watching his friend leave him behind. 

"I feel like it," Tadashi's voice is shivering again. He shakes it off, though, as he seems to remember something and reaches for his jacket pocket. "I found this too, you can have it."

Kei takes the dagger and looks it over. It's hilt is black lacquered with gold leave designs on it. It's beautiful. Kei also scrunches his face in confusion. This knife seems to have been made during the early Edo period. What? 

"You don't like it?"

"I love it, Yamaguchi. I'll have never cut chicken with a prettier blade," he rummages in his pocket too, "you take this then," he says as he hands Tadashi his small camera. 

Tadashi chuckles and with that, starts inching towards the doorway, clearly reluctant to leave his injured friend on his own. Kei notices. 

"Get us a nice helicopter to take us home, will ya," he says, showing his patented Tsukishima-grin. Tadashi takes a moment to revel in it, and then grins back.

* * *

Climbing mountains is considerably easier said than done, Tadashi thinks as he looks up the mountain village, trying to figure out the easiest way up. He was gonna avoid going back to the temple village as long as he could, so maybe he could use what remained of the old buildings instead. The bridges that used to connect the houses from plateau to plateau had long since become unstable or broken down, but the roofs... 

Tadashi starts making his way towards the house nearest the mountain wall and uses an old cart to climb on top of the roof. Fortunately, the houses all seem to be in sturdy condition, considering their age, and take Tadashi's weight with only the occasional creak. From here, the gap to the next plateau was much smaller. Tadashi easily jumped over, landing in a kneeling position. Piece of cake. From then, the hike up seemed a lot less scary. And Tsukki was right, as he usually is. Tadashi's upper body is still toned and fit from years of volleyball. He pulls himself unto roofs when they're too high to jump and even used an old clothing line to pull himself across a waterfall-made chasm. Tadashi must've made it halfway up the village before he got himself stuck. 

The plateau he's standing on looks down high upon the square Tsukki is still at. The waterfall is gushing down next to him. There's no way to get higher from here. Tadashi considers going back down and looking for a different way. He can see the tower north from him, high up between the mountain tops, contrasted against the grey sky. It's there that he sees it. Much higher up but not too far from him, there's another outcropping looking down the valley. It must've been where another bridge used to be because Tadashi can see a red arch from where he's standing. Maybe if he shoots an arrow with enough force... Tadashi figures it's worth a try.

He takes out an arrow out of it's quiver and the rope from his bag, and ties the end of the rope to the arrow. He ties the other end of the rope to his belt so he doesn't lose it. Then he knocks the arrow, aims, pulls the string back as far as his back muscles would allow, and then let's loose. The arrow shoots towards the arch and forcefully embeds itself into the wood. 

Tadashi refrains himself from cheering - barely - and pulls the rope that connects the arch to his belt. It seems sturdy enough. He undoes the knot at his belt and ties it instead to the pole next to him, shortening the rope so it's taut. And like that, he holds unto it as he crosses his legs over the rope as well and starts shuffling up, thanking his years of commitment to volleyball training while making the ascend.

Once he's made his way up to the arch, he let's himself drop down to the new plateau and takes a second to marvel at the view. From here, he can see the mountain village's houses scattered across the valley and summits, looking over the rest of the western side of the island and then the ocean. Southwards, facing the village, on the same height as Tadashi is right now, he can see a massive statue of what must be Himiko, looking protectively over the village. She's adorned in a lavishly decorated kimono and her hair is haloed. As Tadashi takes out Kei's camera to snap a picture, the clouds seem to dissipate, covering the island in golden rays of sunlight. It's absolutely stunning and Tadashi takes a moment to revel in it. The boy from the journal, Hachiko, was right to love living here. Tadashi would have loved living here too. Under different circumstances, he and the rest of the Endurance crew would be exploring this magnificent island for clues about it's history. All the secrets this island could hold... To the east, Tadashi can see the ruins of a tall, round tower. And to the south, he can see the gilded roofs of an ancient palace. 

Tadashi figures they can come back to explore the island after getting rescued, though, and sending actual trained soldiers and police to the island to clean out the men that roam around here. He briefly wonders what they could possibly be doing here, before starting to hike his way up to the radio tower again, back on track.

The path from here on is actually pretty straightforward as Tadashi only has to continue following the path. That is until he stumbled upon the military base the radio tower is connected to.

Damnit, he knew he would come across those men from the temple village again, but he had really, really hoped they wouldn't show up. Or be too busy somewhere else. Or not be with so many of them!

Tadashi hides behind the truck that's between the end of the path and the base entrance, counting his arrows, trying to think of a plan. He takes out his walkie talkie with shaking hands.

"Tsukki. Tsukki!" he whispers into the receiver. 

" _How are you holding up there, Yamaguchi_ ," Kei responds. Tadashi has never felt so blessed before.

"I made it up the mountain," he explains, "the tower is connected to an old military base. It's crawling with those guys. I can't possibly get through them."

" _How many are there?_ "

"I don't know... a lot."

" _How many of them could there possibly be on this island. Did you find their base of operation or something?_ "

"I mean, it could be," Tadashi risks a glimpse from behind his hiding place, "It looks like they're patrolling the area. I can't tell what they're doing in there from here."

Tadashi hears Kei click his tongue and then sigh.

" _Let it be then. Come back down. We'll figure out another way off this island,_ " Kei says sedately. Tadashi is about to agree, glad he gets to return back to his friend, when he sees the crack in the wall.

"Wait..." he says, and squints his eyes in an attempt to look closer, the 10 o'clock sun blinding him from the corner of his eyes. There, in the side of the stone building, Tadashi can see a crack in the wall, leaving plumbing and the like exposed. A way in. And it could take him directly to maintenance halls where he could find spaces to hide! "I think I can sneak my way to the tower," he says into the walkie with confidence.

" _What? Yamaguchi!_ " Kei calls out. 

"If I stay quiet and take it slow, I might be able to go through unnoticed."

" _Yamag- Tadashi, that's crazy! Just get back down!_ " 

"I'll keep you updated," Tadashi says, before shutting the device off. He doesn't know why he feels confident that he can do this. Maybe it's desperation for a way off the island, maybe it's the self-esteem boost from climbing up a damn mountain. He feels similar to when he got called in for a game. They'd call him in to settle the score or to boost team moral, but they'd always call on him because they needed him, needed what he could do. As he's crouching behind a military truck, Tadashi feels the same adrenaline, the same anxiety, the same butterflies in his stomach as right before he hits the jump floater. He didn't think he could shoot an arrow before all this. He never imagined himself climbing up a mountain before this. This is something he can do. Has to do, if they ever want to go back home again. 

As soon as the patrol turns their back to him, Tadashi silently walks over to the crack in the wall, still crouching. He keeps close to the rock walls, hoping his jacket would blend him into the high grass in case the guard turns around. But he didn't need it. He reaches the crack easily and wiggles his way in, making sure his bow didn't get stuck on the way in.

The inside of the building was a lot similar to the bunker down in the forest. Only bigger and filled with more military crap and filled with people. The crack leads him into a thin hallway that brings the plumbing and electricity from one side of the building to the other, just as he thought. But the pipes block his way for him to completely sneak through to the other side. He has to get out at another crack in the wall that leads him into a sort of storage room. There's old fashioned desks, 20th century, and lockers and the steel door hides him from the man sitting in the large room past it. Tadashi, still crouched, slowly takes a look past the open door. The room is filled with barrels and wooden crates, like a strange warehouse. The walls are filled with electrical circuits and generators, probably what keeps the tower functioning. Two men are sitting in the center of the room, playing... is that chess? They're leisurely talking while they play, large guns leaning against the crates they sit on. They're not at all paying attention to the lanky young adult sneaking from behind the steel door to the broken down cement staircase that leads to the balcony overlooking the room. Up there, he's hidden by the steel balustrade, but Tadashi is anxious to get out of the open as soon as possible. 

The balcony leads him to a hallway, devoid of people, and he quickens his pace to get out of there faster. He gets through a few hallways and rooms without running into anymore guards when he reaches the control room. As he rounds the corner, he walks straight into the chest of one of the guards. Tadashi panics but so does the guard, and before the large man can alert the others of his presence, Tadashi yanks an arrow out of it's quiver and jabs it into the man's neck. They both gasp. Tadashi in shock, the man because of the pain and because he can no longer breathe. Tadashi steps back, face scrunched into a pained expression.

"I'm sorry," he whimpers needlessly as the man collapses to the floor. "I'm sorry..."

The man stops moving, and Tadashi releases a shuddering breathe. Then he cautiously steps over the body of the man and runs to the control panels. The thing is decades old. Covered in leaves that must've blown in through the busted ceiling, and none of it is clearly functioning. Tadashi grunts in frustration.

"Tsukki," he says into his walkie.

" _Yamaguchi, god damn it!_ " Kei yells out, pissed off, " _Don't fucking hang up on me again! What if something happened?!_ "

"I'm sorry, Tsukki," he says, sounding sincere for once. Kei grumbles.

" _Did you make it?_ "

"Yeah, I made it into the control room. I- uh..."

" _What is it?_ "

"I had to kill a guy..." 

Kei stays silent for a bit before scoffing.

" _Only the one?_ "

"... Yeah."

" _How do you look?_ "

"I'm... I'm okay."

" _Good. So the control room?_ "

"Yeah. But it's busted. This thing is from the World War, it hasn't been used in decades."

" _Shit... Now what?_ "

"I've got one more idea. But I don't really like it."

" _What could possibly be worse than sneaking into a military bunker?_ "

Tadashi rubs at his face, old nervous tic, and stands under the hole in the ceiling where he can see the radio tower from. The tower actually resembles the Sky Tree in Tokyo, he thinks bemusedly, remembering first year training camps. It's a thin, steel structure, that get thinner the higher it goes. At the top is a box. The only way to reach it is via the incredibly steep ladder.

"I'm gonna have to climb the tower itself."

". _.. You're not serious_."

"There should be another radio at the top. If I configure it right, I should be able to reach anyone with a radio within a 40 kilometer radius."

" _You think you can do it?_ "

Tadashi takes three seconds to think it over.

"Yes."

Kei is quiet as he seems to think something over.

" _I can see the tower from here... Shit, that's high._ "

Tadashi agrees. So does his anxiety.

" _Be careful, you madman. Okay?_ "

"Yeah."

" _I am sorely regretting letting you go up there alone now._ "

"I'll be down again soon. With that rescue chopper I promised you."

" _I'll be waiting._ "

Their talkies shut off, Tadashi rolls the rickety office chair under the hole in the ceiling and pulls himself up. From there, it's a quick jump down to a wiry steel bridge that connects the base to the tower and then the climb. It starts out fine. The base is large enough for Tadashi to maneuver comfortably, the ladder that take him to the next platform isn't that long. The platform, and the rest of the tower, has no railings though. Were soldiers allergic to them or something. Tadashi has to hold onto the structure as the wind picks up, the higher he goes. He was not gonna get all this way up, just to be killed by an unfortunate breeze. 

The next ladder was thinner and higher, and felt much less protected as the military base grew smaller and smaller under him, and became less and less stable as he climbed. Suddenly, the steel under his foot gave out. Tadashi holds on with his arms for dear life, as his heart pumps a million beats a minute. He pulls himself up again, taking no moment to recollect himself, and continues climbing. The last platform before the final climb is the absolute fucking worst. It's barely wide enough for Tadashi's feet, and the ladder can barely be called a ladder at all. The rungs are only connected on one side, to the pole that shoots up from the platform to the box about 10 more meters up in the air. Tadashi swallows, sweat rolling down his back and Tsukki's jacket whipping in the wind. He slowly starts making his way up.

Of course, decade old tower. About 3 meters up, 3 rungs are missing, broken off somehow, and Tadashi has to use the stumps to pull himself up. He must be a lunatic to keep going after this. How the hell was he ever gonna get down?!

Finally, though, he makes it to the box, where he can comfortably - or at least close to comfort - sit on 5 metal rings that almost function as an actual seat. He gasps for air, not so much out of breath because of the physical workout but from frying his nerves on his way up. He started deciding never to go high up in his life again when he looked around him, and the view that was offered to him. It was definitely not worth the trials but man, he could look at this forever. The sun had risen to high noon point and the clouds had faded to a minimum, bathing the island in it's warm sunrays, making the forests way down below look like they're glowing. 

He takes out his walkie again.

"I made it."

" _Yeah, I think I can see you from here_."

"You're missing the view, Tsukki."

" _Worth it?_ "

"Hell no." 

Kei laughs at him over the walkie as Tadashi puts it on top of the box before opening it. Inside is a familiar radio setup. He turns the left knob until he can hear static coming out of it loud and clear, and then turns the right until he finds a signal. After a bit of nudging, he can hear a woman's voice loud and clear, pinging for signals. 

"Mayday, mayday," he calls out into the receiver on the right, "This is Yamaguchi Tadashi of the Endurance. We are stranded on an island in the Dragon's Triangle. We need help and medical supplies."

Tadashi listens as the static returns and no one responds. He fiddles with the knob again.

"Come on!" He grunts and repeats, louder: "Mayday! Mayday! We're stranded on an island and we need help and medical supplies!" 

There's still static, but the woman seems to pick up on his call.

" _Sorr- We- barely hear yo- an you repeat-_ "

"We're stuck on an island! Please, there are men here trying to kill us!"

The the static disappears.

" _I hear you!_ " Finally! Tadashi laughs in relief, he can feel tears in his eyes. " _We picked up a distress signal from the Endurance last night, we had almost lost hope,_ " the woman says calmly.

"So had we!" 

" _There's a rescue plane not far from you, I'm sending them your location now. But they could really use a visual on you guys._ "

"Yeah. Yes, I can do that. I'll do that."

" _Alright. See you soon, over and out._ "

As the call ends, Tadashi can hear Kei laughing and whooping over his walkie talkie.

"Tsukki, did you hear that!"

" _They're coming for us! I can't believe it!_ " The two of them laugh as tension and relief washes over them. " _You did it, Yamaguchi!_ "

"I should go down, now. I need to make a fire or something to signal them to our position."

" _Alright, you go do that. I'll wrap up camp here and start heading up, if I can._ "

"Careful of your leg. I'll see you soon."

* * *

With newfound confidence, Tadashi uses the same trick he used with the arch to come down from the tower. He ties the end of the rope to the tower and shoots the other end into a wooden wall down near the exterior of the base. From his vantage point, he can see that the courtyard is empty of soldiers, and carefully slides down the rope. If he's gonna keep doing this, he should really find some gloves or something.

Back on blessed solid ground, Yamaguchi starts looking around for supplies to start a huge freaking bonfire with. The steel shack on the courtyard has some interesting stuff at least. On a table, Tadashi finds what looks like a modern pickax embedded in the wood, and a whetstone of some sort next to it. If he angles it right, he could probably create sparks. Now he just needed something to ignite. He goes back unto the courtyard and notices two round structures. He comes closer to inspect them, when he notices the sticker on the side. They're fuel tanks. He can blow them up. On the tanks' sides, Tadashi finds a connected valve, which he promptly breaks open with his brand new pickax. Damn this thing would've been handy before. The valve immediately starts releasing the gasoline unto the grass. Tadashi steps back and uses the whetstone and pickax to create the sparks, igniting the makeshift gasoline stream, leading straight to the fuel tanks. Tadashi hides behind cover.

**BOOM**

Pieces of metal fly everywhere and past Tadashi's hiding place as the whole courtyard lights up and is set ablaze. If that doesn't catch the attention of the rescue plane, they were doomed. And as if summoned by the explosion, Tadashi hears the telltale sound of an overflying plane. There it is, as if by miracle! Coming right at him, a small gray plane with Japan's flag on it's side getting ready to make the risky landing. 

Suddenly, out of nowhere, clouds start materialising and surround the plane. The rumbling of thunder takes over the noise of the plane. And then lightning hits one of the plane's wings, making it shudder and catch fire before making a nosedive, straight towards Tadashi, who can only watch in horror as their rescue gets downed by a freak weather phenomenon. 

He turns around and starts running. The plane was gonna crash right on top of him! Further up, he can see the courtyard descend unto a cliff, hugged by mountain walls. If he can just get behind the rocks, he'd be saved! Faster than he's ever run before, Tadashi sprints for his life, before he slides behind the rocks, feet barely skidding over the edge of the cliff, as the plane hits the ground behind him and the burning pieces tumble off the the cliff's edge, straight down. Tadashi watched as the plane lands right into the village square.

"No... TSUKKI!" He yells, hunching over the edge. "TSUKKI! TSU-" he scrambles for his walkie, "TSUKKI, WHERE ARE YOU! Please tell me you left the camp! TSUKKI!"

Tadashi waits for response... but nothing comes through.

"TSUKKI, ANSWER ME, DAMNIT!" 

He can feel his eyes and throat burning. His chest is hurting and he wants to throw the damn walkie off the cliff to join the remains of the plane. Agitated and distressed, he walks around. Tsukki is fine. He's fine! He said he was coming up the mountain to meet him on the way, he probably already left their campsite. Then why wasn't he answering? What if his leg injury had slowed him down and he was still down there when..

Tadashi sobs, the force of it unsettling his chest and stomach. He looks around, notices he finds himself at a sort of cliffside village. One that should bring him straight down to the mountain village. If he can find Tsukki, then- 

He quickly rubs his face with his sleeve and starts walking along the wooden houses built against the cliff walls. The walls and bridges are unstable but if he's quick, he can make it to the other side without any problem. That is until one of the floorboards gives out under his foot, in a house right above another waterfall. Tadashi sinks through the floor, scrambling to get a hold of something, anything! His hands find no purchase and he drops straight down, into a raging river.


	5. The Monastery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how tf am I halfway done already

_They were 10 when their families met up for the second time during the Sun festival. Yamamura had been filled with light, laughter and music since early that morning. The young girls had taken out their prettiest kimono and hair jewelry, enjoying their day off work and out of their work clothes. The old men and women sat together on the summits, looking over the lowest plateau where the festivities took place, playing mahjong and talking about times long passed. The children were let loose to enjoy the game stalls and watch the shadow theatre._

_Hachiko and Hotaru ignored the latter, knowing the performed stories by heart at this point, putting their focus instead on catching gold fish (to later release them in the pond in Yamadera) and outdoing each other in shooting games and ring toss and yo-yo tsuri. They tasted food from almost every food stand, enjoying dishes that usually weren't served at home or were only served in Himishiro. Hachiko's father was back home for the rare occasion and the boy made sure to include him in the festivities whenever possible, his mother and Hotaru's family following in amusement._

_When the evening came, most of the crowd started making their way though the mountain pass to the monastery, where a huge part of the population would be gathered. Others would go to small shrines all over the island or to the Sun Palace in Himishiro. Hotaru and Hachiko held each others' hand as they followed the crowd and their parents through the large, majestically decorated halls. All along the walls, red candles were lit, and in front of them on a podium, one of the Priestesses watched as everyone settled. Dressed in a ceremonial white kimono, her shoulders visible with the white sun tattoo, she looked like a star descended from the sky._

_Then the dance started. At her side, three performers hit the taiko drum in a slow rhythm as the Priestess twirled and rang the balls in her hand by making sharp wrist movements. Her audience started singing the song of the Sun, Hotaru struggling with the lyrics as he only sings it once every year. Hachiko had no problem singing along as his mother sang it often at home. The older audience sang solemnly along while the youngest watched and listened in awe._

_After the dance, the Priestess turned to the statue behind her and bowed deeply. Everyone in the hall followed her example. Then they straightened again and in unison clapped twice._

_Then everyone left the monastery, single file, and took the thin stone staircase down to the river that calmly runs under the entrance and bridge. At the end of the staircase, four more Priestesses handed out lit paper lanterns to every family._

_Hachiko politely asked one of the Priestesses for one extra for him and Hotaru and blushed when the pretty, young girl gave him one with a smile and no hesitation. The two of them followed everyone to the river. Some families sent off their lantern with a prayer to a loved one, others prayed once more to the Sun Queen, others just enjoyed the moment. Hachiko took Hotaru's hand and put it under the lantern, next to his own, smiling brightly. Hotaru rolled his eyes but indulged his friend. Together they lowered the lantern unto the water and watched it move down the river. It would make a slow descend through the island and end up in the ocean._

_Hotaru made a silent wish for new writing materials. Hachiko wished he'd get to do this with his friend every year from now on._

* * *

Kei got bored.

He wasn't surprised. He even remembers telling Yamaguchi he'd get bored. He had completely scoured the little house they'd made camp in and depleted it of historical resources. He'd plucked and cut and cooked the pieces of chicken and even crudely skinned and cut and cooked up the remaining rabbits from Yamaguchi's gallivanting in the forest. He wrapped it all up nicely in cloth he found around the house and stashed it in a worn out satchel to keep with him. It would hold out until help arrived. 

Still bored, Kei bandaged up his leg carefully after covering it with another layer of salve and got up to take a stroll. He wanted to get used to walking with a burned leg so he'd have an easier time getting to the rescue chopper or boat or plane or whatever would be coming for them. The wound annoyed him. Every time he moved his leg, it felt as if his skin was pulled too tight and about to rip open if he made the wrong move. Burn injuries are a bitch. Biting through the discomfort, Kei hobbled out of the house to take a stroll around the square of the village. They may be in hostile territory but he was still a certified archaeologist and he had archaeologing to do.

There sadly wasn't that much to find, though. The people who lived in these houses used the same technology and wore the same garments as the rest of Japan during the Kamakura period. Kei found the odd interesting object here and there - like a yagen: a kind of pestle and mortar where the pestle functioned like a wheel, and some fans - but most of the houses seemed to have been completely ransacked. Did those men from the temple village come through here at some point and take everything of worth? They still didn't know what their deal was... He wondered how Yamaguchi was faring. 

During his stewing around the village, bored and frustrated because of Yamaguchi's sudden stupid bravery - okay, that was partially his fault too, Kei discovered that when he crossed the river, which calmly flowed next to the square, there were two paths leading away from the village. One seemed to go down south, following the river's descent, although in a much less steep fashion and without the dangers of tumbling down the waterfall further up. Seriously, did no one invest in railing in ancient Japan? The other path circled around and carved it's way between two mountains, heading east. Maybe this path would lead him higher up.

When Kei heard that rescue was coming for them, he didn't hesitate a single second before returning to their campsite and packing everything up. He kicked out the fire - with his injured leg, just to make a point - and jogged towards the mountain pass he had seen before. If it didn't lead him to the mountain top, well... at least Tadashi and the rescue team will have a vantage point in trying to find him again. 

He started wondering if he should've left the mountain village in the first place when he saw where the mountain pass lead him to.

At first it was the statues, Kei guessed that they dated back to before the Kofun period. These things were old! Many of them were of past royals but one was clearly supposed to be Himiko, the way the sunrays are pictured beaming from her like a halo. There were also old vases, none of them really depicted anything interesting, nor did the small fresco carved into little alcoves along the path. Then he came across 2 meters tall frescoes. Now these were new. One showed what Kei could only guess was a pilgrimage. A bunch of people dressed in simple garbs hiking up a path to... where? The next fresco was of lanterns. Just a cool design or did it have something to do with the pilgrimage? Then the last one once again showed Himiko, looking down upon Kei with her stone cold stare. 

Then he came upon the chasm. 

Before him was a huge stone building, carved into the side of the mountain. From where he was standing, he could see a massive stone bridge, offering save passage over the chasm underneath it, where another river calmly made it's way to the west, a steep set of stairs leading up to where Kei stood. The building itself was an impressive structure. Rough around the edges but detailed on the arches around the entrance and the heavy columns. Two royal statues looked over the exit of the passage while two more were carved into the stone next to the entrance of the building, while Himiko's image, larger than all the others, stood over the archway that lead inside. 

Kei could barely believe his eyes. Did he find a great temple of some kind? The purpose of this building had clearly something to do with worship, what with all the overwhelming imagery. Was this the only one of it's kind on the island or were there more? He wanted to look inside so badly.

Before he could take another step, though, something exploded in the distance, it's boom echoing through the chasm. Damn, Tadashi was really doing a number on starting that fire. But the sound of explosions didn't stop. Thunder banged all over the island and something heavy and metal broke... loudly. It sounded like someone had taken a bus and dropped it down a ravine. Kei was about to turn back and check it out when another boom sounded. This time much closer. And seemed a lot like the footsteps of a giant. But before he could start looking for the source, his feet were swept from under him and he collapsed to the floor, his skull cracking on the side of the statue. 

* * *

He wakes up, growing really tired of getting knocked out constantly. He grumbles, thinking to himself that if that dude from the caves got to him again, he was gonna make acquaintances with Kei's brand new gun. Fortunately this time, Kei's glasses remained miraculously on his face. It takes his head a while to stop spinning and feeling like he got hit by a truck. Tadashi is going to have a field day, nursing him back to health. That rescue plane better have something against concussions because there's no way Kei's brain didn't take the brunt of that fall. 

What the hell even made him drop?

As Kei slowly opens his eyes, the light making him wince, he notices the smell first. The smell of... rotting... things. That's not a great sign... He rolls to his side. He was laying in something wet and squishy. That's even less great. Finally he can get his eyes to open enough for him to see... a scene right out of his nightmares. He stays very... very still, as he watches a giant man dressed in samurai armour delightfully munch on... Oh god, that's a human arm. Kei holds his breath, horrified. He and the giant are in a stone hall, filled to the brim with pieces of humans. What the fuck. What. THE FUCK. He changed his mind, he'd like the guy from the caves back now, please.

Done with it's meal, the giant gets up and takes a hold of a massive, barbed club and makes it's way out of the hall through a huge barred wooden door. Kei doesn't move a muscle, hoping the thing thinks he's just another dead body. It booms it's way out and locks the door with a huge plank of wood. Kei's not getting out that way. What. The. FUCK. As soon as the monster is out of sight, Kei takes a huge gasp of air, immediately regretting because the smell- GODS, the smell! He was sitting on top of a dead man and there's flesh and bone and blood. So much fucking blood. He had to get out, right fucking now! 

He crawls his way over the corpses- christ, there's so many of them, how are there so MANY - and to a high window opening that leads to a different room than where the giant disappeared to. Kei's pretty sure he's hyperventilating. He wishes he was with Tadashi. He bites trough the pain in his leg and heaves himself up and over the window opening and falls back first into a - thank god - empty room. He feels so dirty. He's in pain. He wishes he had never woken up. How does Yamaguchi deal with these panic attacks? They're awful! 

Kei just lays there for god knows how long, just breathing. It slows down after a while, but Kei's feelings of disgust and horror never fully leave. What was that thing? Did it alone kill and eat all those people in that room? Where did it come from? How did it exist? Were there more? What??

Finally, Kei convinces himself to get up and find a way out. Yamaguchi is somewhere out there, with a rescue party, probably worried sick and looking for him. He grabs a hold of his walkie talkie and turns it on. 

"Yamaguchi," he speaks into it.

All he gets is static.

"... Yamaguchi, you there?"

Again, no response.

"Tadashi!"

No answer. Kei curses and put the device back in his crappy satchel. He probably just has a shit connection from inside here. 

Cautiously, he starts following the hallway he's in, but it's not much better than the hall he just came from. The stone architecture is grand and detailed but there's remains and dead bodies everywhere. Some are even tied up to the pillars, for some fucked up reason. Did the giants leave these poor people like this, forgetting them? Or did those fucks from the temple village put them here and leave them at the mercy of the giants? 

He stops at a dead end. No way out. All he can do is go back. Excepts he sees that the hallway that used to be here is just blocked by wooden crap. There's a burning torch behind him. If he's careful, he can probably burn some of the blockade away. He does so, creating a small crawling space for him to squeeze through. He brings the torch with him cus the next room is dark as shit. It's a tall round room with a domed stone ceiling, with decorated walls and statues and in the middle, a tomb. Oh great, he's in a tomb. 

He really needed to find a way out. He wanted to find Yamaguchi. But the archaeologist in him wanted to look around so badly. He sighs, annoyed, with _himself_. He can explore as well as look for a way out. He approaches the statues first. The biggest one, facing the tomb, he's already familiar with. Queen Himiko sits on a dias of clouds, legs crossed and hands folded together. The statues on her direct left and right are from warriors, dressed in full samurai armour. Kei feels a shiver travel down his spine.They look eerily similar to the giant he saw. The Chinese texts spoke of Himiko's personal army. The Stormguard. The two statues must represent two soldiers, protecting their queen. But the giants... they couldn't be... there's no way, those texts were written in the 4th century! Why would there still be Stormguard warriors walking around in the 21st?

Next he inspects the pictures engraved in the stone tomb. He didn't really have to guess who might be laying inside. The building's exterior and this room's decor speaks for itself. Kei can't help but feel a little amazed, despite all the shit he's been through, that he found the tomb of the first Sun Queen. He puts his hand on the tomb's lid and starts pushing. There she is. Rotten and ugly but still wearing her faded red gown and a crown upon her stringy black hair. This was... kind of incredible.

Finally Kei moves to the wall tapestries. There are four of them. The first one, starting from the left, shows the picture of a woman and a man in white surrounded by fire. The woman holds her hands out like a godly figure, while the man holds his head up and back straight, prideful. Lovers? No, they aren't touching, nor are they looking at each other. Something ritualistic? Japan wouldn't be the first to sacrifice people by burning them at the stake. They were being swallowed by two different fires so they weren't burned together either. Maybe a separate ritual?

The second one showed a pilgrimage again, only this time, only two people were taking the hike. The man and the woman from the last tapestry. But wait, would that mean they would've survived the fire ritual? Maybe the pilgrimage is symbolic for the journey to heaven. But no... The hike ends up on the mountain, to what looks like the entrance to the building he was currently in. The man and the woman are on opposite sides of the tapestry, climbing two different hills. Two different pilgrimages. 

The third one had four different people in it. A woman and a man, once again with their backs turned to each other, dressed in red and with a halo around their heads. A Sun King and Sun Queen. Above them, Himiko is shown again, arms spread as if in favour of what is happening. The King and Queen are both holding a vase, pouring water out of it down to the first man and woman in white again. The King's water pours into the vase of the woman while the Queen's water pours into the man's. Kei didn't go to college for nothing. He knows water is usually pictured as a metaphor for life force, wisdom, or power. These royals were transferring their power to the pilgrim man and woman. Their titles as King and Queen, maybe? The power to rule Yamatai?

And then the fourth one showed the pilgrim man and woman in their white kimono but now they're also wearing the royal red robe over them and their heads are haloed. The tapestries must be showing an ascension ritual, it can't be anything else. Unless he read the tapestries the wrong way round, but in Japan, they'd read left to right. But that doesn't make sense! How would the man and woman survive a fire ritual? How was this possibly a logical way to choose a successor? Would the King and Queen rule together? No, wait, they're separate rituals, separate pilgrimages. 

"It switches," he realised. "It switches from Queen to King and from King to Queen. If the chosen successor survives a trial by fire, they must make their way to this tomb, this... monastery, where they'll receive the power to rule from the previous King or Queen." Kei rattles out loud, tying to process the discovery he just made. "Amazing... The right to rule wasn't hereditary. You had to earn it."

Kei jumps a mile in the air when suddenly his walkie talkie starts working. Through the static, he hears Yamaguchi's mechanically coughing.

" _Tsukki,_ " he says weakly. What the hell happened?

"Yamaguchi?"

" _Oh thank god!_ " He shout-whispered, keeping his voice down.

"You didn't answer before. Where were you?"

" _Where were YOU? I thought you were dead! I thought you got crushed by the plane!_ "

"Crushed by the... what?" Kei paced around as he spoke, his brain was scrambled and he had trouble following. 

" _The plane, Tsukki! It crashed. Our rescue plane crashed._ "

Kei stopped pacing, all excitement leaving his body. He suddenly felt very tired.

"Crashed?"

" _It was so weird, Tsukki. There were these clouds, they came out of nowhere, and lightning hit it, the plane, it went down like a brick._ "

".... Fuck."

" _Yeah.._ " 

"What do we do now. Where are you? I'm stuck in an old monastery right now but I'll come to you once I find the exit."

" _I uhh.. I don't know where I am._ "

"You don't know?"

" _I fell down,_ " he can hear Tadashi swallow, " _I got swept up by the river. I kept going down and kept bumping into things, I had a parachute at some point, just- so much happened and I ended up in some shantytown or something, the place is crawling with those guys again and I'm terrified_ ," Tadashi says in one single breath.

"Yamaguchi, christ."

" _I'm hiding under the floorboards, it's disgusting here but I- I'm hurt and I can't... I can't really move, I can't sneak my way out of here, crouching hurts and they're everywhere, Tsukki-_ "

"Yamaguchi, listen to me, okay? Listen to my voice," Kei said, knowing the routine for helping Tadashi out of a panic attack by heart. "You need to count your breaths. Remember? 5 seconds in, hold for 8, out for 7. Can you do that for me?" He listens as Tadashi shakily takes his breaths, but it always works. Especially now, it has to work. "I'm going to find my way out of here, and then I'm coming to get you. Okay?"

" _Okay,_ " Tadashi's voice sounds wobbly, he's likely crying.

"What can you tell me about where you are? The shantytown, where on the island would it be?"

He hears Tadashi only breathe for a moment. Then: " _I think this used to be the capitol city, actually," he says, "I saw the palace before I hid, it has a huge wooden bridge going towards it. I saw it from the mountains, you can't miss it. I'd say south by south-west from the village_."

"South by south-west, got it. I'm on my way," Kei says as he starts looking around for an actual exit. Above him, the domed ceiling is cracked, letting in a stream of daylight. If he could get up there, he might find a way out. Maybe if he climbed on top of the tomb...

" _Tsukki, I'm so tired,_ " Tadashi mumbles. Kei scrambles to respond.

"You can't sleep yet, Yamaguchi. I know you want to but you can't let those bastards get the jump on you. Okay?"

" _.... Okay. I trust you, Tsukki._ "

"I'll come find you, I promise."


	6. Shantytown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now here's a chapter where I briefly have the chance to write the same scene as a previous chapter, but from a different pov. Tell ya what, I'm not gonna take the chance. Weird petpeeve but I hate it when there's 2 parts from the same scene, just from different pov's, and that's why I'm not gonna put my readers through the same thing. Cus here's the thing: you already read the scene. You already experienced what happened, you already imagined how both characters in the scene acted and what they looked like, and now I'd make you read it again, but all those things you imagined are different and wrong now.  
> Maybe if the story needed the different perspective to unveil a secret or plottwist of some kind, then yeah, writing the same scene different pov is fine but in this case, it wouldn't add anything.
> 
> Just something I thought about as I was writing this chapter, it's late and I haven't taken a break yet, whoops.

_They're 16 when Hotaru meets the Sun Queen Hoshi for the first time. He and Hachiko had met up the night before in his room above the kanpo shop to play board games so he was not well rested when he arrived at the Palace that morning, as he never was after a visit from Hachiko, who lived at the Stormguard barracks but didn't much care for curfew. In his defense, he never expected the Queen to come to the library that day, as she never had before that day. Hotaru was sure he made a mess of a first impression before her, stumbling over his words, greeting her with the wrong titles, messing up his keigo. He was certain that if he ever wanted a career at the Queen's side, he just lost it. But the opposite proved to be true. Hachiko didn't believe him the next time they met up._

_"She invited me for tea, said she wanted to hear more about my writings about Yamatai," he practically boasted to his friend over a cup of sake._

_"There's no way! You're lying to me!" Hachiko exclaimed, walking the line between tipsy and drunk. He didn't need to work the next day so at least he had that in his favour. From what he has told Hotaru, punishment with the Stormguard is nothing to be sneezed at._

_"I'm not lying! You want to hear how tea with the Queen went then?"_

_"You need to ask?"_

_"She's so formal. It's kind of hard to have a conversation with her, I feel like I'm constantly walking on eggshells."_

_"Don't offend the Queen, Hotaruuuu."_

_"But we talked about all kinds of things, even life in the mountains! I told her about you too."_

_"Who, me?"_

_"Yes, she thought it particularly interesting that you're in the Stormguard for some reason. She also remembers your father."_

_"Really?" Hachiko asks in a dreamy voice._

_"Really. She says she's unfamiliar with life outside the city so she'd love to hear more sometime. And she said - Hachi, are you listening - she said in exchange, she wants to teach me about politics and all that."_

_"Woooow, Hotaru, that's so cool."_

_"Yeah. I don't think I've properly processed it all."_

_"D'you think she's trying to bed you?"_

_"Hachi! Watch yourself! This is the Queen we're talking about."_

_"Would you? Yanno, if she asked."_

_"I wouldn't. She's, what, over a hundred years old?"_

_"But she's also the Queen, Hotaru."_

_"Even more arguments as to why I shouldn't bed her."_

_"..."_

_"..."_

_"I've never heard of the Royals bedding anyone, actually."_

_"Well, they don't take husbands or wives so it makes sense."_

_"Hotaru, hotaru, hotaru. You don't need to marry to bed someone."_

_"And what exactly would you know about that?"_

_"You think I'm the only one who sneaks out of the barracks at night?"_

_"... Point."_

* * *

Tadashi's tumble down could've gone a lot smoother, that's for sure.

As the river violently rushes him along, weaving between mountains and down chasms, Tadashi had to fight and kick and trust on his damn luck to not get hit by stray rocks or get impaled on a clutter of sticks, wood and steel bars. He splutters and gasps for air whenever he comes up and attempts to control where in the fast stream he ends up. The river spews him out in a relatively calmer part of it's descent down the island, but the current still pulls him along. Tadashi takes this moment to orient himself and find his bearings but barely has the time when the river smashes him against the remains of a World War II plane. It takes him a second to get over the pain in his side before he snatches at anything on the plane's exterior to hold on to. He gets a grip on a bit of steel sticking out of the plane's other side, right before the river rushes down and turns into a waterfall. Tadashi cries out, his legs dangling over the steep drop, and hisses when his side burns while he pulls himself up. 

For a second he thinks he survived being swept away in a river but there's no rest for the wicked. The plane shifts dangerously. Tadashi's weight must've pulled it loose somehow, and the plane starts heavily leaning unto it's side in the direction of the waterfall. Tadashi barely has enough time to move towards the front of the plan, to hold onto the pilot seat, or something, anything! The plane cants over and for 30 terrifying seconds, it falls down along with the river, until the wings snag on outcropping rocks. The sudden stop throws Tadashi unto the window of the cockpit. 

Tadashi holds his breath as he hears the glass crack under his weight. Shit fuck shit fuck fuck! He's hyperventilating, desperately looking for a way up without breaking the only thing keeping him from falling to his death but there's nothing. Then he sees the parachute, dangling just above him. Fuck it. If up isn't an option, down it is. Tadashi quickly reaches up, knowing the glass won't hold him for much longer anyway, grabs the parachute and clumsily throws the pack over his backpack, just as the glass gives out. He briefly feels something sharp get caught on his arm before he's diving down the cliff at an incredible speed. Desperately, he yanks on the pack for anything that feels loose and for a moment he wonders if he put on an old broken parachute when he finds a string, pulls it, and suddenly he feels like he's going up instead of down. The pack digs into his shoulders but he ignores the pain and learns how to steer a damn military parachute within five seconds. It floats him over the treetops of a forest, low enough that Tadashi has to occasionally pull up his long legs to avoid getting caught and losing his course. Fucking hell, he doesn't even have a direction, he just want to go down! 

Ask and ye shall receive, for the sail of the parachute was thin and ruined by moths and age. It takes Tadashi far enough from the river but suddenly rips in two and drops like a sack of potatoes. Tadashi yelps and instinctively curls up into a ball. On his way down, he catches a thick branch in the torso. Tadashi gasps loudly, the air being pulled out of his body, and he turns limp as he continues falling to the floor where he lands in a mess of long limbs, blood and leaves. The chute's sail, like a bad joke, softly lands on top of him. 

Tadashi doesn't know how, but he doesn't pass out. His entire body hurts, though, and he's aware of it. From his big toe, all the way to his head, everything hurts. He groans weakly, his vision swimming and having a hard time breathing. His head feels heavy, his ears are ringing, and he can't keep his thoughts straight. He's so tired. He misses Tsukki. Fuck.

* * *

He must've lain there, going back and forth between consciousness and unconsciousness, for what felt like hours but could only have been 45 minutes, tops. Either that or the sun is now moving in slow motion. Figuring he's aware enough to tell time by looking at the position of the sun, he tries to get up but immediately regrets it. Right. Wounds. Should definitely make stock of all the things he'll need to get fixed.

His left arm was bleeding. A lot. Probably got caught on the glass of the plane. His entire torso feels bruised and battered but his chest especially feels weird. A sharp pain travels through his entire body every time he takes a big breath. That's definitely either a cracked or broken rib. Maybe two. Chances of a concussion: pretty dang big. Nothing else felt broken though. Just... sprained or bruised. He was going to come out of this looking like a smurf. 

Tadashi shoots upright, his entire body disagreeing, when he hears whistling, very close by. He finally starts to look around and figure out where he had landed. He's in another forested area but it's a clear dead end as the ground behind him moves up steeply into the mountains, turning the area into a small alcove with only one way to go. A few meters away, standing near said alcove exit, is one of those military men strolling around like he doesn't have a care in the world. Tadashi freezes up. These guys again! Slowly, very slowly, he moves himself from underneath the parachute sail. His arm and torso make it incredibly hard but he manages it without being seen or heard, the man being too caught up with his musical talents, it seems.

Hunched over and holding his stomach, Tadashi slowly inches towards the side of the alcove, behind some bushes. He crouches down as far as his battered body lets him and picks up a hefty rock. With his still functioning arm, he throws it to the other side of the alcove, where it loudly lands and ruffles the leaves. The man turns around tensely, picks up his gun and starts heading towards Tadashi's distraction, while he himself comes from behind his hiding place and makes a slow, limping run for it. The forest area begins and ends with the alcove, as as soon as Tadashi emerges, he finds himself inside a walled junkyard city of some kind. The radio tower might not have been the military men's headquarters, but this place definitely was. And they were with many, as Tadashi, from his higher position looking over the town, could barely see the end of this massive city. He can however see a massive classic Japanese palace sticking out of the city like a sore thumb. It must be the palace he saw before, a huge wooden bridge connecting it to a tower. 

He freezes up as he hears voices coming his way. He doesn't wait for more of those men to show up and shuffles down the dirt path, into some sort of disgusting sewer puddle. No matter, it lead to a crawlspace under a shack and it would keep him hidden. He hears two of those men passing by them, talking in a mix of Russian and English, but they never see him and just keep walking. But Tadashi can hear more above him and further into town. They're everywhere. And he's in no condition to sneak or fight his way out. He was stuck. Stuck under a metal and wood shack, with disgusting sewer water up to his collarbone and his bleeding arm over his head as to not get himself an infection as well. All his supplies are in his bag which he can't reach like this, and he can't very well take care of himself here. 

He starts crying, silently so no one can hear him, but the sobs and hiccups shudder through his aching body and the tears roll hot down his face. There's nowhere safe, nowhere to just rest for a second, no rescue coming, his crew member lost or dead, Tsukki probably dead. He was never gonna get home. 

He reaches for the walkie talkie on his belt, underwater, with a shaking hand. He coughs, momentarily choking on his tears and then quietly tries to call for his friend again.

"Tsukki," he speaks into the receiver. He sounds pathetic. 

And the Kei responds.

* * *

Tadashi could barely believe what just transpired. Tsukki, Tsukishima Kei, his best friend since age 6, was apparently fine and well and very much not dead and exploring an old monastery this entire time. And Tadashi was so... So happy, new tears starting forming over the old ones. The relief that washes over him made him feel warm and safe and almost completely fades away the hopelessness of the situation. The ache in his heart lessens. Kei is coming for him. 

Tadashi feels his confident grow again, enough to peak outside his hiding spot. He shouldn't stay in the water too long, risking hypothermia and a few million diseases the water was probably carrying with it. The space between his spot and the forest alcove is pretty much deserted, for now, and Tadashi slowly and quietly inches his way from under the shack and out of the water. He's cold and still in pain, his arm still bleeding, but focuses on finding a better and more convenient hiding spot for Tsukki to find him. He hunches along the shack's metal wall - the buildings here seem to be made out of large pieces of scrap metal and junk - and peaks around the corner. The dirt changes to a metal and wooden balcony that connects most of the shacks through overlooks and staircases and slopes. The shacks are all crudely built and stacked on top of each other. Here and there, an old Japanese building rises out from the trashy panorama but whatever these guys did to those buildings, it didn't make it prettier. 

The men were everywhere. Strolling around, leaning against balconies, playing card or board games, talking and sleeping and just lazying around. The sight is almost tranquil if it weren't for the fact that if Tadashi was seen, all those guns strapped to their backs and hips would be pointing at him. Why are they here? Who are these people, for fuck's sake? Why are there so many and why are they literally everywhere?

Tadashi keeps scanning the horizon until he spots something that could really help. Not far from him, maybe a few balconies over, was a mound of trash and metal supporting the wreck of a helicopter. The area seems abandoned, probably functioning as a kind of trash heap or maybe a scavenger pile. But there's no one around and there might still be some fresh medical supplies on board, and Kei could easily spot it and find it when he got here.

He started moving, he'd been stationary for too long, and sneaks his way to the wrecked helicopter.

* * *

Climbing his way out of the monastery was much easier than he had expected. Kei thought he'd be ambushed any second, but, as it turned out, the hole in the tomb's domed ceiling lead straight to a steep mountain pass that lead him back to the mountain village where, just like Tadashi had said, the remains of the rescue plane were scattered and burning. The house they had used for shelter was in pieces, so even though his little venture to the monastery was traumatising and not at all pleasant, he's glad he moved in time to avoid getting crushed. 

Kei didn't contemplate on that fun thought long as he turned and jogged over to the path that led down the mountain and started following it. And once again, just like Tadashi said, there he saw the palace in the distance, rising out of a city that surrounded it's base and the tower that held the bridge up. Now certain of his destination, Kei picked up the pace. 

The path eventually widened into a wide road, probably an old king's road that the citizens of Yamatai used to transport goods and wares to the villages. On his right, to the west, a wild river made it's steep way down the mountain, probably the river Tadashi had rode down. On his left were overgrown farmlands. Every few meters, he'd pass by a signpost, confirming that he was still on the right track. His inner archaeologist noted with interest the names of the villages he passed. Apparently Yamatai's capitol city was called Himishiro, which was just old Japanese for Sun Castle, he thought in amusement. But if what Tadashi said was correct and the city was overwhelmed by those military men, there'd probably be nothing of what it once was left. That'd be a damn shame...

It took Kei maybe a good hour and a half to reach a summit overlooking the city. The whole place looked like someone left a dirty spot on the landscape and never bothered to clean it. The whole view went from green trees and farmland to greys and brown and filthy odours. The palace and the towers really stood out, built on great, even bricks and with red painted high walls and arches and the wide bridge, connecting the city to the palace and casting a dark shadow over the town and the river below. The palace itself would be a maze of buildings, as it would've basically functioned as a city of it's own, housing servants and maids and probably the Stormguard too, as well as the Royal's family and the priestesses. Kei wanted to see for himself so bad, but accepted the fact that with these assholes around, he probably never would. 

Besides, Tadashi was waiting for him somewhere in this place. 

Kei takes out his walkie from the satchel.

"Yamaguchi, I'm near the town. How can I find you?"

Tadashi doesn't take long to respond.

" _I'm hiding in the wrecks of a helicopter, on a sort of junkyard._ "

"This whole place is a junkyard."

" _I meant- No, it's- You can't miss it. It's on top of a hill, I could see it on the horizon._ "

Kei looks around, and there he sees it, right next to the lengthening shadow of the tower, high up on a hill. A rusty broken down helicopter balancing on a heap of nothing but trash. It isn't going to be easy to get there though, as the entire city is walled up by either the old city wall or by linked fences, and any entrances were being guarded by patrol. Then he has to somehow navigate his way through town and live to tell the tale. This was going to be the mission from hell...

"I see it," he tells Tadashi, "I'll find a way to get there."

" _No one knows I'm here yet and I found some medical supplies, so take your time. Don't be too hasty._ "

"Who me?"

Tadashi chuckled quietly at that.

"It's getting late though," Kei notes as he watches the sun starting it's descent behind the castle, throwing long sharp shadows over the town. It would at least help him hide. "How about by sundown, we make up a new camp? I saw some old farms on my way here."

" _Hmm, sounds nice_ ," Tadashi hummed almost blissfully, " _I can't wait._ "

"I'll be there soon."

" _Okay_."

* * *

Kei is settled behind some rocks, a few meters away from what looked like the least populated entrance. Only a few men stand guard and they don't seem to be really into it, talking to each other and leaning against the walls. It shouldn't be too hard to execute his plan from here. 

He reaches out behind him where he knows a large bush peaks out from behind the rock, and shakes it, hard. The two guards immediately notice and start approaching him, guns at the ready. Kei is ready too. He takes out the first guard that rounds the corner with the dagger Tadashi found for him, stabs him right in the neck and yanks the bleeding body in front of him, using it as a shield when the second guard starts shooting. When the man pauses to reload, Kei pushes the first one aside and uses his pistol to shoot the second one twice in the chest and once in head. Overkill, maybe, but Kei knows he's no sharpshooter and he's not gonna take any chances. Kei crouches down and hides the two bodies in the bush, after relieving the first guard of his gear, jacket, pants and bandanna. None of which had been washed in ages but he'd been wearing the same ripped and burned pajama pants since day 2 on this island so who really has the right to complain. 

Now dressed in military garb, armed with the dagger, pistol and an automatic rifle, and hood and bandanna covering his hair and face, he's ready to go into shantytown. 

Kei mostly tries to act casual as he strolls down the mud stained streets, knowing that if he looks like he knows what he's doing, others will automatically believe he belongs. The problem being he really doesn't know where he's going. He knows where the helicopter is, in relation to him, but the whole city is like the world's most unnecessary maze. He keeps encountering walled off parts and streets that go nowhere. At one point, he chances taking one of the stairs up a walkway, scared he'd be walking unto someone's porch or something, but nope. The walkways and balconies apparently also function as streets. Jesus motherfucking christ, and the smell of this place. Everywhere Kei looks there's a carcass of either some animal or a human. Trash and piss and shit are thrown out on the street, it seems like the muddy ground never gets a chance to dry. How can anyone live like this?

"Oi, Boris!" A heavy voice suddenly calls out behind him. Kei slowly comes to a stop in case the guy is talking to him, but not quickly enough for it to seem weird if he wan't this Boris in question. A man approaches him, his accent sounded American. Kei can definitely not fake an American accent. Or Russian. He thinks fast. This man is definitely talking to him. "Didn't know you'd be back so soon, man," he slaps Kei on his back, hard. "What news from the villages?" he asks amicably. Shit, these guys are friends. 

Kei slowly turns around, straightening his back to emphasize his height, and mustering up his best anti-bully glare. He looks down his nose to the man, who still has his hand on Kei's shoulder.

"Can I help you?" he asks in the same voice one would say 'you just spat in the wrong guy's drink and you will pay'. The man gulps and steps back.

"Ah... Sorry, man, I thought you were someone else."

Kei doesn't dignify that with an answer and just resumed his leisurely pace. As he rounds a corner, the tension in his back dissipates as Kei slacks in relief. That was too fucking close. Where is that goddamn chopper.

The sun is about to touch down on the horizon when Kei finally figures out his route to the helicopter, and then it barely takes him 5 minutes to fast walk towards it. He quickly checks over his shoulder to make sure no one sees him climb in, which distracted him from he incoming rusty pipe, heading straight towards his face. He ducks, just in time for the thing to miss him and he tackles his attacker to the helicopter floor. The guy lets out a pained gasp in a very familiar voice and Kei scrambles off of him, taking down the bandanna.

"Yamaguchi! Shit, I'm sorry!"

Tadashi looks up at him, confusion turning into realisation. 

"Tsukki!" he breathes out, "Ho, it's you!" 

The two of them sit up right and simultaneously take each other in their arms.

"Yeah. Yeah, it's me."

"I thought- I thought you were one of them and I-"

"It's okay, it's okay. You were defending yourself, you amazing, amazing boy." Kei gushed as he rubbed his face into Tadashi's neck. 

"Tsukkiiii," Tadashi whined, but hugging Kei back just as hard. The two of them reveled in the feeling of being with each other again. The world never felt right unless Tsukishima and Yamaguchi were in each other's orbit or constantly aware of where the other was. Eventually, Kei pulls back, though.

"Your injuries?" He asks, doing a quick scan of Tadashi's body. He looks awful. Hair a bigger mess than usual, caked in dirt and leaves, clothes damp and muddy and dotted with blood, face dirty and bags under his eyes, left arm bandaged. Kei suspected he didn't look that much better though.

"I hurt some of my ribs and my arm was bleeding. Maybe a concussion too. I bandaged myself up and took some painkillers," Tadashi ticks off, gesturing gently at his injuries as he names them. Kei nods and quickly glances outside the heli. They're still in the clear, for now. But they have to hurry this up. 

"Do you think you can run?"

"Maybe," Tadashi rubbed his cheek, "Climbing might still be difficult, but I can walk."

"Alright.. okay..." Shit. Kei didn't think about this part. Sneaking back out. He should've brought the jacket from the second guard. "Okay, here's what we're gonna do. I managed to pass as one of them. Maybe if I take you along as my prisoner, they might leave us alone."

Tadashi looks worried, taking a glimpse outside the helicopter as well.

"I- Maybe... Yeah, that might work."

They got up and Kei took Tadashi by his upper arms, positioning himself behind him. 

"Hold your hands behind your back as if you're tied up and hold your head down," he tells him. Tadashi does as he says. And then Kei pushes him out of the chopper, following close behind him. He leads them along the route he vaguely remembers taking to get here. The streets are less populated as the sky darkens into night. Kei wonders how many days they've been here now. Two or three days? It feels like three years.

"Hey, where'd you get him from?" Once again, Kei slows them to a stop as someone yells behind them. They're definitely speaking to him, no doubt this time. Kei keeps one hand on Tadashi shoulder as her turns to the American. 

"Caught him sneaking near the edge of town. I'm taking him to our leader now," he says with the same commanding voice as before, back straight. The man looks at them weirdly.

"Where's the rest of your team?"

Shit. He hesitates too long before answering.

"Dead."

"Why didn't you take his weapons? Why wasn't the alarm sounded?"

Shit shit shit. He can feel Tadashi side-eyeing him, he's starting to panic. The American starts reaching for his gun.

"Who the fuck are you?"

In a split second, Kei takes out his pistol and shoots the man in the shoulder.

"Run," he says before sprinting towards where he thinks the exit is, pulling Tadashi along.

"Intruders! Sound the alarm!" They hear screams behind him. Shit, he didn't kill the guy. Shit shit shit.

Like a well oiled machine, military men start streaming out of the buildings and coming straight at them. The road before them is blocked in seconds but Kei tries to make an opening, shooting the guards in his way. Tadashi follows his example, using his bow to hold off the men behind them. Now they're shooting back, though, and they're better trained. One of them grazes Kei's hand and he drops his gun at the pain. Behind him, he sees a guy descending on Tadashi, grabbing his bow with one hand and punching Tadashi in the face with the other. Another guy guts Kei with the butt of his rifle, and they both sink to the ground, getting grabbed by the arms and shoulders.

Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit.

Around them, the men are yelling.

"We got 'em!"

"We got two ousiders!"

"Bring them to Matthias!"

"We got two more sacrifices, boys!"

He feels the men roughly tying his arms behind his back and a cloth around his mouth. He watches as others do the same to Tadashi, who looks at him, obviously scared out his mind. Kei imagines the look he gives him is equally afraid. 

Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit.


	7. Himishiro 日城

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sleep or finish the chapter, sleep of finish the chapter, sleep or- this thing just kEEPS GOING, IT NEVER STOPS

_They're 22 when Hotaru starts suspecting he'll become the next Sun King. The current Queen, Hoshi, has reached an age well over one hundred and twenty and has trouble leaving her bed the past few weeks. She still requests Hotaru join her in her chambers every evening for lessons and talks. It eats away time he would rather spend with Hachiko, who's working hard for his suspected upcoming promotion to general._

_Despite the two of them being so busy, they still meet up almost weekly after Hotaru's visit to the Queen, in Hotaru's chambers at the Palace, where Hachiko is free to roam._

_"Somehow, all this makes me uneasy," Hotaru confesses to Hachiko as they lay in his bed, side by side, staring at the shadows the moonlight makes over the ceiling._

_"I don't know what you're talking about, honestly," Hachiko repsonds for the umpteenth time, "If you become Sun King and the talk about me becoming the Stormguard general are true, I'd get to be by your side all the time. I don't think I've wanted anything more in my life." He strokes his thumb over Hotaru's hand sweetly. Hotaru wants to hide his face in Hachiko's hair._

_"I'd rather go back to being a scholar. I don't think I'm fit to be king of anything."_

_"Even though the Queen has been practically grooming you to take over since you were 17?"_

_"That's just it. My talks with her have been less and less about that."_

_"Well... she's getting old..."_

_"No, it's something else... The way she looks at me, I can't describe it. She used to look at me as if I were her child. Now... It's like I'm... Like I'm a piece of meat and she's a shark ready to devour me."_

_Hachiko turns unto his side to look at Hotaru, his fingers brush over Hotaru's blond hair. Hotaru closes his eyes._

_"You sure you feel like it's the Queen wanting to devour you and not the people?"_

_Hotaru sighs._

_"I don't know anymore, Hachi."_

_Hachiko watches Hotaru's face scrunch up in stress before leaning in closer, bringing the hand he's holding to his beating heart. Hotaru turns to look at him. Hachiko still has freckles all over his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose._

_"As your Stormguard general, I will protect you with my life. You already have my heart and body. Let me offer you my soul in protection. For if I can't protect you, there's no point in a beating heart, my King." Hachiko swears solemnly._

* * *

Kei greatly disliked Matthias the very second he met the man.

Right after they were captured, the Solarii - that's what they now know they're called - paraded him and Tadashi around town, dragging them up to the bridge towers and all the way to the palace, followed by a crowd of yodeling American and Russian assholes. They stopped right before the palace gates, where a man stood waiting for their arrival. He was bare feet and wore some kind of ratty robe and weird shamanistic charms. In his hand he held a staff with some steel junk tied to it. Kei has no idea what the fuck it's supposed to represent but clearly, this man is the one in charge. This has got to be Matthias. 

One of the men spoke up, his grip on Tadashi neck tight.

"We found these two in town. They must be from the ship that crashed a few days back."

The Matthias man steps closer, clicking his tongue.

"Yes, I see," he stops and inspects Kei and Tadashi closely. Two battered boys, one who's making himself smaller in fear and the other looking like he's about to blow up this entire island with just his glare. They're both completely harmless though, now that they're in the Solarii's possession. "Well done, soldiers. Bring them to the ritual chamber so we can decide their fate."

With that, the two of them are brought to a cave entrance beside the palace. They descend into the caverns until they arrive in a large cave hall where more soldiers stream in. They are gathering before a raised platform with an opening behind it that looks out on another waterfall. On the walls, there are drawings similar to the ones in the bunkers and the mountain temple path, depicting Himiko and the mountain peak in white paint, and red candles litter the floor. Tadashi starts breathing harshly through his nose and Kei's eyes widen. On the raised platform is a pyre.

They're dragged closer to the raised platform, but even Tadashi is halfheartedly struggling now. This is bad, this is really really bad. Matthias walks over to the front of the pyre and waits until his soldiers settle. Then, he starts speaking:

"Brethren," he says solemnly, "Out in the world, we were nothing. But here... here, we are the Solarii! The Sun Queen's children! She brought us here for a reason." Kei looks back at Matthias' audience. The men clearly have heard this speech before. Half of them seem restless, eager to see some action, while the rest just seem bored. Here and there are a few who actually seem to dig Matthias' Sun Queen speech. "I know you want your freedom. I know you want to escape this place." At this, Tadashi's breathing seems to steady a little, and he raises his head in... interest? "But to do so, we must release our Ruler." He points at Tadashi and Kei. "Like us, she is a prisoner. If we can free her, we free ourselves! These boys carry the blood of this land. One of them could be the key. The Ritual of Flames will show us the truth."

Matthias steps down from the platform and towards them. He looks them over in contemplative silence. And then he points at Kei. 

"Let the defiant one be tested first."

Both Kei and Tadashi start trashing as the Solarii holding Kei starts pushing him up the platform. Tadashi desperately tries to scream through the cloth covering his mouth 'Tsukki! Tsukki!', but it only comes out like muffled nonsense. Kei, meanwhile, is digging his heels into the dirt as hard as he can. They're not getting him on that thing without a fight. 

Tadashi's struggling become more violent and harder to control. He leans forward and then snaps his head back, headbutting his captor in the chin, and runs towards Kei as the Solarii release him to cover his bleeding nose. With his hands tied, though, all he can do is put his body against Kei's as he pushes their cheeks together. Kei's struggling stops. He knows what Tadashi is trying to tell him but...

The Solarii moved out of their stupor and roughly drag Tadashi back off the platform. Three men have to hold him down and push him on his knees as two more men tie Kei to the stake. Kei fights back halfheartedly, his eyes on Tadashi instead. Tadashi's looking back but he can barely see through his tears. He's absolutely inconsolable. The men behind Kei leave the platform and Matthias comes closer.

"Every creature in nature will turn and fight when it's very survival is at stake. So don't think I don't understand you," he says this at a volume so only Kei can hear him, "I've just been doing this a lot longer." He turns back to the Solarii. Now it's Kei's breathing that's turning harsh. "Ready yourselves, brothers!"

At this order, the Solarii start chanting in unison: "Blessed through the flames. Blessed be the sun." One of the men gives Matthias a lit torch. Kei keeps his eyes firmly on Tadashi.

"Himiko, you are the last and the first. Speak to us now!" Matthias lowers the torch unto the pyre. The wood instantly catches fire, and Tadashi's body seems to completely decompress as he watches Kei seemingly accept his fate.

The wood really starts to burn when suddenly the wind behind the waterfall kicks up. Some unnatural force starts blowing through the cavern hall, and the waterfall's course changes, extinguishing the pyre within seconds. The Solarii are silent, looking at Kei in awe, who just slumps down the pole he's tied to with a defeated grunt, suddenly exhausted. Tadashi is shaking again. Matthias is the first to regain his bearings. 

"It's him. He's the One," he mumbles. Then he turns again to his audience, who start yelling and chanting in celebration. "Soon, my brothers, we will be reborn!"

The Solarii cajole and jeer, singing their praises to Himiko. They start leaving the halls, impatient to spread the news. Matthias summons two soldiers and gestures at Kei.

"Bring him to the throne room." The Solarii nod and start untying Kei from the pole. Kei doesn't move a muscle, staring wide-eyed at his lap.

"What about this one," one of the men holding Tadashi asks.

"He should join the Unholy Ones," Matthias says. The men behind Tadashi start grinning. "He has spirit," Matthias then glances at Kei, who's being dragged off and throws one last look Tadashi's way, "... and loyalty. We could use that among our ranks. Let's see if he survives the challenge." With that, Matthias dismisses himself, and walks down the cavern Kei was dragged to. Tadashi gets roughly pulled up by his neck and still bound arms as he also gets dragged away to, most likely, the next level of hell.

* * *

The Solarii bring him lower down the caverns. There's a strange yellow gas as they continue deeper into the cave system, until they stop in front of a locked, barred door. One of the men cuts Tadashi's hands loose and undoes the cloth blocking his mouth. They also pull his bow and arrow, pistol and backpack off of him. He lets out a breath to release a bit of the tension when he's grabbed by the shoulder again by a grimy hand and sneering lips whisper against his ear:

"Have fun in there, boy."

They open the barred door and push him through, locking it immediately behind him. 

Tadashi falls to his hands and knees, stiff from have his arms having been locked back for so long. Around him he hears the echoes of mad giggles, and he looks up. Surrounding him are scarcely dressed men, each one of them wearing a manic grin and insanity in their eyes. And they're leering at Tadashi as if he's the first meal they've seen in days. Considering Tadashi can count their ribs, that's probably exactly what they see him as.

Like a whirlwind, they all descend upon him collectively, grabbing at his clothes, his hair, scratching his skin with blunt nails. Tadashi holds his arms up in an attempt to defend himself but the crazed laughter and the grabbing doesn't lessen any. Tadashi's had enough. He's been assaulted, grabbed, shot at, held down, tied down, punched and kicked all in a matter of days. He's almost drowned, fallen to his death, burned and starved and he was getting pretty fucking sick of all this. 

The Solarii never thought to check his shoes. He takes out the knife he kept hidden and slices at his crazed attackers. They screech as soon as they see the weapon and start running, hiding into the shadows and alcoves of the cave. Tadashi is panting, he slowly gets himself standing. The crazed men seem to have returned to their own little world, ignoring Tadashi, and he takes this chance to find an alcove for himself. Somewhere high up. 

He finds a little corner with some lit candles in it, high up on a platform he's sure the other guys can't climb, considering their physique. Here, Tadashi curls into himself, processing the past few hours.

He had him. Tsukki was finally with him again, and then they took him away. They wanted to burn him. Why for fuck's sake would they want to do that?? Tadashi thinks back. Matthias was spouting a lot of bullshit but one thing in particular caught his attention. The Solarii seem to believe they're stuck on the island. That they can't escape. He thinks back to the rescue plane, and how the weather turned in an instant, as if it was summoned just to bring it down. But there's no way weather can actually do that. But neither did it feel like a coincidence. Tadashi could swear he felt anger in the air when the plane was brought down, he just thought that was the electricity from the lightning. What if it's true then? Tsukki said people believed Himiko could control the weather, back in the day. What if someone or something is actually controlling the weather to keep people from leaving the island? Why would anyone do that in the first place?

And the Solarii believed Tsukki could, what, fix that? How? Why Tsukki? Why would that something help save Tsukki from the fire ritual if Tsukki was supposed to fix it, by summoning wind to save him from the pyre? What are the Solarii going to do to him? None of it makes any sense! Tadashi is still missing too many puzzle pieces. 

One thing is for certain, though. Tadashi has to escape and find Kei. They need to get the hell out of here.

He regulates his breathing, now that he has the chance, and focuses on the candle to stabilize himself. The candle... That's his way out!

Determination back on track, Tadashi takes one of the candles and yanks it off the cave floor, before jumping back down, out of his alcove. The others are still ignoring him. What's the purpose of this hell hole, anyway? Matthias said something about joining the ranks... There's no way this is some kind of initiation challenge or something. Christ, these people are sick. 

Tadashi makes his way to the barred door. There are no guards nearby, so no one to stop him from what he's planning. Next to the way out, there's a valve that's releasing bits of the yellow gas he sees everywhere in these caves. It's been a while since his last chemistry class but Tadashi knows flammable gas when he smells it. His pickax was still in backpack but maybe if he yanked and pulled really hard.

Ignoring the pain in his chest, Tadashi kicks and pulls on the valve. It's getting more and more loose until finally the knob yanks off and the yellow gas starts spreading around the door. Tadashi goes back to where he left the red candle on the floor, picking it up again and then hurling it into the yellow cloud. 

The explosion echoes around the cave, probably catching at least some attention, but it did it's job. The door is now a wiry mess on the floor, and Tadashi easily walks out, knife in hand. He hides behind some stalagmites when he hears voices coming down the cave stairs. Probably the guards who heard the explosion. He lets them pass by, not worried about them. He just needs his stuff back. When the guards are gone, Tadashi continues going up until he's in a round cave room where two more guards are playing chess. They only notice him after Tadashi buries his knife in the first guard's neck, and by the time the second guard has reached for his gun, Tadashi already took the first one's gun and shot the second one with it. His weapons and bag are nearby and he puts them on, face stony and focused. No more sneaking around. No more feeling guilty. He needs to get to Tsukki and anyone in his way is dead. 

Further up the cave system, closer to the Ritual Chamber, Tadashi hears chanting. He emerges on a rock looking over what sounds like an initiation prayer. Fresh Solarii soldiers are kneeling in front of a Himiko statue while a robed Solarii solemnly declares them part of the cause, voice echoing around the cave. The exit to the cave is on the other side of this ritual, and there's yellow gas seeping out from under Himiko's seated figure. Tadashi momentarily slips back behind cover and opens his bag. The lighter and ductape are still in there. He quickly uses the tape to stick the lighter on his bow in a way so he can now shoot fiery arrows. 

Arrow knocked, Tadashi goes back into the room and shoots the arrow straight into Himiko's foot. The gas ignites and the force blows everyone backwards. Whoever didn't get knocked out, is dazed and confused and it gives Tadashi the perfect chance to slip around them and outside. The explosions don't stop though and Tadashi can feel the ground rumbling. That might've been overkill...

Doesn't matter. Finding Tsukki takes precedence. 

* * *

Kei was brought up to the palace. In an ironic twist of events, he got what he wished for. He gets to see the interior of the Palace in glorious HD quality. Careful what you wish for and all that. The Solarii escort him to the aforementioned Throne Room. It seems like the soldiers' grabby hands didn't touch anything in this building. The wooden floors, walls and ceiling are still lavishly polished, if a bit discoloured, and there's typical decorations and artifacts for a castle dating from feudal Japan, at the latest, the Yayoi period at the earliest. Everywhere he looks, he sees sun and fire imagery. Candles and paintings and statues. It fucking annoys him. 

His two escorts finally undo the cloth around his mouth but leave the bindings around his wrists on. Smart move, he thinks. They stand back, keeping a constant sharp eye on him. Kei defiantly looks back, seizing them up. They seem to be... what, afraid of him? No... They're not afraid. They just know they can't hurt him due to this whole fire ritual business. He remembers what he saw at the monastery. Do they really expect him to become their Sun King or whatever? If they think that's gonna happen, they haven't met Tsukishima fucking Kei yet. 

Knowing that they need to show a certain amount of respect to him then, no matter how begrudgingly, Kei starts to calmly walk around the throne room, looking at the decor and relics. The Solarii seem uneasy but they leave him be. Good. Maybe there's some ancient knife around here somewhere he can stab them with.

"I don't believe I've caught your name, Chosen One," Matthias appears from the hall as he greets Kei with this. Kei sends him a glare.

"I don't believe you've done anything to deserve it," he scoffs. With a wave of his hand, Matthias sends the guards to keep watch from the Throne Room entrance. He then turns back to Kei.

"Do you understand the importance of this day?" He asks.

"You think I'm supposed to be the Sun King o some shit," Kei says in a disinterested tone. If he took check his nails, he would've, just to get the point across. Matthias seems surprised.

"Very good. You know about Himiko's ascension ritual then?"

"I know the basics."

"Then you must understand the honour that has been bestowed upon you, on all of us. Some were beginning to doubt we'd ever find you. But here you are."

"What is it exactly that you want from me," Kei finally snaps at Matthias, who's progressively getting closer. Matthias takes some time to think about what he's going to say next. The boy before him, the Chosen One, seems like the rational type and has no patience for metaphors or faith. He vaguely remembers what it felt like to have that mindset.

"We are all trapped here. Trapped on this island. You might be searching for logic and reason but there is none here. I made the same mistake once. Back when I thought ships could reach us and planes wouldn't fall from the sky," he circles the room, "The storms only take and never let go. But you... You have the power to release us. Himiko's blood runs through your veins. Many before us have given up their soul willingly for the gift that is now entrusted to you." Kei continues glaring at Matthias.

"You're a lunatic," he spits out, "Tell me what the fuck you want from me already."

Once again Matthias thinks about what to say next, then he sighs and lightly shakes his head.

"You will go through the ascension ceremony. You will receive the Sun Queen's power over the storms and you will use it to calm them, so that we all may leave the island."

"... That's it?"

"That is all," Matthias stretches out his arms in a calming gesture, showing his sincerity. "The Sun Queen is angered. That is why she won't let us leave. She has been left alone on this island for too long, just like us. It has been too long since she was properly worshipped. But we can channel her anger. Focus her cosmic energy in a successor of her choosing." Kei raises an eyebrow. "That is what you are. The Sun Queen has chosen you to be her next Sun King."

At those words, Kei almost loses it.

"If you think I'm gonna go through with this without a fight, you're even more insane than I thought!" He starts motioning threateningly towards Matthias. If only his hands were free, he would probably already have strangled the man. Matthias motions back but remains calm.

"I understand you haven't quite processed the situation yet. That seems reasonable." Kei is seething at this point, seeing red at the edge of his vision. "Perhaps knowing about your friend's well being will help calm you. I'll have one of my men send a report on his progress." Matthias waves one of the guards over as Kei thinks about this.

"Wait," he says. Matthias turns to him expectantly, the guard next to him. Kei searches for the right words. "I need him- my friend... beside me." Matthias raises his eyebrows. "A Sun King needs his Stormguard general. I need Tadashi to become my general if you want this done."

Matthias seems pleased to hear this.

"Your Tadashi is currently undergoing the trials of becoming Solarii. When he's proven himself, he can be at your side as your protector." Kei scrambles for ideas and decides to just go with the truth.

"He'll fight it," he says, trying not to sound desperate. "He's strong, he'll get through your trials but he'll defy you, because he doesn't understand what's at stake. I can explain it to him, he'll only listen to me."

"You're certain of this."

"Yes. He's loyal to a fault, he'll never follow you as long as he thinks you're a threat to me."

Matthias looks at Kei, thinking it over. And then:

"Very well," and he turns to the guard, "Bring the boy up." Kei's shoulders sag in relief as the guard nods and walk out of the room. Matthias turns back to him. "I have some business to conduct. My soldier will bring you to a room where you can make yourself comfortable. You'll pardon me for keeping those on," he points to Kei's wrists. Kei swallows.

"Fine."

* * *

He's brought to another lavishly decorated room, this time a bedroom, once again decorated in red and sun imagery. Kei wants to throw it all out the window. The soldier leaves the door open to stand guard in the opening. At least he's facing away. The room is furnished with a table, some chairs, a dresser, a chest and a canopy bed, all made from polished wood and decorated with gold accents. If the circumstances weren't what they currently are, Kei would've had a field day exploring this room and discovering all it's secrets, trying to figure out who slept here and why. Now, though, he just lays down on the bed and tries to keep himself from passing out. He's exhausted, physically and mentally, but he can't sleep yet. They're bringing Tadashi to him, and by the time they get him here, he needs to have a plan ready to go. He hopes that when Tadashi does arrive, they won't have treated him too badly.

He meant what he said about his best friend. Tadashi could weather any torturous terror they throw at him. Except maybe complimenting himself. If that were a trial, Tadashi would be doomed. God, he misses him. He's been missing him an awful lot lately. And the way Tadashi had said goodbye to him during the fire ritual... Kei isn't sure if he'll ever get the terror and despair of that moment out of his head. They were so sure they'd never see each other again. It will haunt his nightmares for weeks; months. 

Suddenly, a low rumbling sounds from down below and the whole building seems to shake. Kei sits up straight and watches his jailer look around in confusion. Another rumble rises through the building, and Kei moves so he's sitting at the edge of the bed. Another guard joins the one at the door and they start furiously whispering to each other. Not as quietly as they think they are though.

"The caves are blowing up. Somehow, the gas has been igniting and now it's like a fucking chain reaction down there. The fire will reach the palace soon."

"Fuck. Where's Matthias."

Kei didn't give a crap. He quietly gets off the bed, leaving his guards to it, while he sashays towards the dresser that's covered in those damned red candles. He turns around and uncomfortably holds his tied wrists above one of the flames. It takes a while and it burns like a bitch but eventually the rope snaps, and Kei has his hands back. He strides towards the guards, grabbing a vase along the way and throwing it at the back of the head of the first one. The second guard is stuck in his surprise as Kei loots the unconscious Solarii's gun and uses the handle to knock the second one out, before he can even reach for his own. Damn, these guys suck. 

Quickly, he picks off his weapons and satchel from the soldier who brought him to this room, and then he makes his way down the palace hallways. Another rumble comes from deep down and shakes the castle hard enough for Kei to lose his balance. He bumps into a door and after he stumbles through it, he notices this must be Matthias' base of operations or something. The walls and tables are filled with notes and drawings, and some of his crazed ranting is carved into the walls. He spots a map of the island on the table though, which could be handy. He snatches it and pushes it into his worn satchel and leaves the room, continuing down to where he remembers the Throne Room was. 

Another explosion, this time much closer, shudders through the building, and Kei can hear the sound of wood creaking not far from where he is. Shit, the building is going to burn to ashes, and him with it if he doesn't leave soon. He doesn't need to guess who blew up the prison to escape. He's sure he'll meet Tadashi in the Throne Room soon, so that's where he keeps going.

* * *

Tadashi has no fucking clue where the Throne Room is.

He's successfully scaled his way out of the cave system, up the stone palace wall and unto a roof. From here, though, he has no idea where to go. The building he's standing on has already caught fire and more explosions keep happening as the fire spreads. Shit, are they even gonna keep Kei in the Throne Room if it isn't safe? He's clearly important to the Solarii, they wouldn't want him to get hurt. He doesn't really have much else to go on.

So he makes his way over the rooftops, jumping from tower to tower, looking through windows for a, probably, big-ass room with a big-ass chair. One of the buildings behind him leaves a hole in the wall as another explosion occurs from within. He didn't think he'd create this much damage! He planned to raze the city to the ground when he got his hands on Tsukki again but he didn't think Lady Luck would take him this literally.

As the flames start climbing higher and move from one building to the next, the heavens open up and it starts raining. Tadashi thinks the destruction of the palace and sudden downpour have a connection but he rather not think it too hard in case whatever controls the weather decides to strike him with lightning. He ignores both the rain and the fire and keep looking for the big room. 

Then he sees him. Tsukki just ran right past him, armed to the teeth and with that familiar pissed off look on his face. 

"Tsukki!" Tadashi calls out and Kei immediately responds to his voice, turning around, pissed off look replaced with one of relief and fondness. Tadashi kicks the wooden window open and let's himself drop into the hallway, where Kei immediately takes him into his arms. Neither of them say anything as Tadashi returns the hug in full force, fingers digging into the military jacket Kei was still wearing. One of Kei's hand goes to Tadashi's hair. It's still a mess, but neither of them looks pretty right now. Kei pulls back, gripping Tadashi's hand in his.

"We need to leave, now."

* * *

The halls are completely deserted as they jog down to the building's exit, hand in hand. Neither make any illusions that outside will be the same though. Either the Solarii are currently attempting to extinguish the fire or they're evacuating. Either way, they'll be outside. 

Tadashi kicks the wooden door to one of the palace courtyards open and as they make their way across the grass, that's when someone finally spot them.

"The outsiders! They escaped!"

Kei reluctantly let's go of Tadashi's hand, no intention of leaving that boy's side ever again, but he needs his hand to hold his rifle. Tadashi use his newly released hand to knock an arrow on his bow, turning the lighter on. If he's gonna end up razing the city, he better do it in style. 

It takes a while for the Solarii to get their shit together enough to start shooting at them but they're already sprinting by then, weaving their way between the buildings and the palace alleyways. Kei was right, the palace is practically a city in itself. They only need to occasionally take out one of the soldiers. Usually those who stand in their way and refuse to budge. Most seem to be aware of Kei's status as the Chosen One and either stop shooting or aim specifically for Tadashi, but there are a few who didn't get the memo. By the time they reach the bridge to Shantytown, most of the palace is ablaze, and lighting up the sky. There's yelling and explosions all around them but one specific voice makes Kei stop before he steps on the bridge. 

"Tsukki!" A low, preachy voice calls out for him. Where did the bastard learn Tadashi's nickname for him. Tadashi also stops running, already on the bridge. Matthias is standing right where they saw him for the first time, in front of the palace entrance. Behind him stands an army of Solarii, all of their guns pointing straight at them. "Won't you come with us in exchange for Tadashi's life?"

Kei sees completely red. How fucking dare this piece of shit. 

"Or we can blow up the bridge," Matthias continues, "and then where will you hide."

Kei narrows his eyes. Challenge fucking accepted. He already saw the fuel barrel not far from the bridge. If the bridge really is rigged, it would cut of their pursuers. With a flick of his arm, Kei shoots the barrel with his rifle. The thing immediately explodes into a fiery ball of destruction but Kei doesn't wait for the bridge bombs to start igniting as well. He yanks Tadashi's arm as they start sprinting down the bridge, literally outrunning the fire storm behind them as the bridge explodes, piece by piece. Tadashi spots the sentries on the tower to the town, though, and they look ready to fire. They weren't going to get away through the towers. And he rather not risk running through Shantytown again. Instead, he takes Kei in his arms and pushes the two of them off the side of the bridge, over the railing.

The air rushes past their ears as they fall down. The bridge explodes above them, providing cover for their escape. They hold onto each other as they splash into the river. 

* * *

Kei gasps for air as he pulls himself out of the water. They had washed up on the shores of a lake in a forested area after getting pulled down the river by the strong current for... he doesn't even know how far. Kei can tell they're a good distance away from the palace though, he can see the light from the blazing buildings from where he's lying on the grass, Tadashi besides him.

"That's twice in one day that you travel via river," he halfheartedly jokes, out of breath, as he turns to his friend... who lies unresponsive with his face in the grass.

"No. No no no no, you don't get to do that. Not now!" Kei scrambles on the knees and turns Tadashi's body around so his face looks up at the cloudy night sky. He's sickly pale and his lips are turning blue. Kei holds his ear against Tadashi's chest. His heartbeat is still there but it's abnormally faint. He holds his face near Tadashi's nose. He's not breathing.

"Fuck! Tadashi!" He yells out in frustration, starting cpr immediately. Thirty pumps on the chest. "You don't get to leave me like this! Not here! Not now!" Two breaths mouth to mouth. Back to chest pumps. "Come on. Tadashi, come on. Not like this," Kei whimpers. Two more breaths mouth to mouth. 

Suddenly, Tadashi coughs up a gallon of river water right into Kei's face, and it would've been hilarious had Kei not been so fucking relieved. He starts crying, the sobs wracking through his body and shaking the sharp pain in his heart, and moves his face into his best friend's neck. Tadashi barely registers Kei's glasses - which miraculously survived the passed few hours - digging into his skin as he fades in and out of consciousness. 

They stay like that, for a little while. Tadashi on the brink of passing out, but alive, and Kei holding onto him for dear life as he cries out all his frustrations and terrors into Tadashi's shoulder, lying on the grass, under a rainy grey sky.


	8. Shipwreck Beach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHY DOES MY KEYBOARD SUCK  
> also is it just me or are these chapters getting longer? I wanted to base my chapters around locations but now I noticed it makes the chapter lengths really really reaaaaally inconsistent. That or I just really suck at killing my darlings and just getting rid of scenes.

_They're 19 when they first kiss._

_In hindsight, it was a long time coming and sometimes Hachiko wonders why it took them so long in the first place. It's their first Sun Festival back in Yamamura after celebrating it in Himishiro for 3 years. Experiencing the festival in a big city, amongst strangers from all ages and backgrounds, had been new and exiting and special in it's own way. Especially once they had found the celebrations among the people their age in specific districts. But nothing beats the comforts of celebrating at home._

_They don't indulge in the festivities as much as they used to when they were children, playing the occasional game but enjoying the foods and atmosphere more. Hachiko jokes they'll soon be joining the grandparents up on the summits and overlooks. Hotaru silently thinks he wouldn't mind that if his friend was there with him._

_They follow the people to the monastery, watch the Priestess perform her dance, pray to Himiko, and descent the stairs to receive their lantern. However once Hotaru and Hachiko received theirs, Hachiko splits from the crowd, pulling Hotaru along. They walk in silence down the river, following the lanterns already set upon the water. They come across fellow hikers but once they pass the village borders, they're completely alone. Hachiko reaches for Hotaru and takes his hand in his. Hotaru doesn't pull away._

_It's late when they reach the western beach, but Hachiko takes them to the edge of the shore where millions of lanterns are visible drifting off to the horizon, the ocean swallowing an island's worth of light. Hotaru watches them all, still holding theirs._

_"Do you think somewhere out there, different people can see all those lights from afar?" Hachiko wonders._

_"Who knows..."_

_"I'd like to see that some time."_

_Hotaru pulls at their linked hands._

_"Our lantern should join soon. Or it'll feel lonely."_

_Hachiko laughs. "We can't have that, no." He lets go of Hotaru's hand and puts them under the lantern, lowering it together unto the waves, and watch the tide take it into the sea._

_"I wished for us to be able to do this every year," Hachiko says, "back when we children." Hotaru watches him turn to him. The light from the moon and the lanterns seem to make him glow. "I'm so glad my wish came true."_

_Hotaru didn't respond with words but instead closed the gap between them and lightly kissed Hachiko on the lips, his hand caressing his cheek. Hachiko sighed into the kiss, blissfully, his hands finding Hotaru's kimono._

_They stayed on the beach until the sun rose over the mountains._

* * *

The sun is at it's highest point when Kei wakes up. His glasses are digging into his temples and Tadashi's collarbone, whom he's laying half on top of. His eyes and throat hurt, probably from crying so much. He hasn't done that in a long while. Or ever. His head and leg are aching and his muscles feels like jelly. One arm is holding onto Tadashi's hip, his grip never slackened while he slept. Tadashi, meanwhile, has one hand resting on his stomach and the other on Kei's lower back. Their legs are jumbled together in a mess of limbs and bony knees. 

He watches the sun beam down on the grass they're laying on, the bushes that hide them from the rest of the world and through the leaves of the trees above them, gently swaying in a light breeze. The sound of the lake and the birds makes him feel like he's actually at home, in Miyagi, after a day of practice at summer camp and he and Tadashi decided to escape the chaos of their team for a little while but instead fell asleep during their moment of tranquility.

After a while of absorbing the peace and quiet, he looks up at Tadashi's face. His freckles stand out on his abnormally pale skin, even though it's surrounded by dirt, ash and blood. There's an ugly bruise forming on his cheek too. He's still sleeping, and Kei can thankfully feel him breathing under him. He looks at Tadashi's bandaged arm. It's bloodied and dirty. They'll have to change those bandages soon, make sure the wound didn't fester. They should do the same for his ribs and Kei's leg at some point. Maybe laying on top of him isn't such a good idea. If Tadashi's ribs are broken and not cracked, he definitely might have made it worse by performing cpr. Not that's he's regretting that. Definitely not. 

Kei's chest hurts as he remembers the events of last night, and something gets caught in his throat. He frowns deeply and gets up to crawl to the lake. He really needs a wash. 

Tadashi shocks awake with a small gasp as Kei gets up, making him turn back in surprise. 

"Where 're you goin'," Tadashi mumbles, tiredly. Kei's heart melts.

"Nowhere," he says softly as he comes back to sit beside Tadashi, fingers going through his matted hair. "Just going to the lake, we both really need a bath."

Tadashi breathes out, his eyes closing again and his body becoming limp.

"Yeah," he rasps, voice rough and barely a whisper. "You look like shit."

Kei chuckles weakly.

"Speak for yourself," he says with no real bite behind it. But he feels a bit of giddiness, knowing the two of them can still joke, even if Tadashi's delivery was pathetic. Kei starts moving towards the lake again when he hears Tadashi whimper and slowly sit upright. He turns to Tadashi again - he looks distressed - and puts his hand on his friend's upper arm. "It's okay. I'm not leaving you."

Tadashi sniffs as he puts his hand over Kei's.

"Good."

Kei lets them sit like that for a while. Tadashi won't let go of his arm and he can tell his friend isn't well enough, or awake enough, yet to stand up for a makeshift bath. He only urges him to get up after he's sure Tadashi won't swoon the second he's on his legs. He's still a bit wobbly but Kei supports him as they make their way to the water. He helps him kneel down at the shore, shoes off, and starts rubbing his face with the water, then his hair. Tadashi weakly copies him on his right. Kei then takes his military jacket and shirt off and starts scrubbing over his torso too. This, Tadashi doesn't copy. He just watches as Kei cleans what he can. 

When he's done, he turns to Tadashi, who didn't do a very good job at washing himself. Kei clicks his tongue lightheartedly, filling his cupped hands with water and rubbing Tadashi's freckled cheeks. Tadashi flinches, of course, as Kei's hands make contact with the bruise but Kei just keeps going. He washes Tadashi's neck and what he can see of his collarbone as well, and pauses as he reaches for his hair. Just scrubbing it wasn't going to fix that. His hand moves over Tadashi's shirt, which is practically ruined because of the blood and sewer shit. Same goes for his pants and the bandages. His shoes must be filthy too. Tadashi barely blinks as he watches Kei inspect him.

"Shirt off," Kei softly commands him as he grabs the dirty fabric and starts pulling it over Tadashi's head. Tadashi silently complies, raising his arms stiffly, wincing again as the multitude of dark, ugly bruises littering his stomach and back are revealed, as well as the bandages around his chest . "We'll have to change those too..." he mutters as he starts undoing them. Next he undoes the bandages around Tadashi's arm and he hisses in sympathy when he sees the gash. That might actually need stitches. He reaches for Tadashi's backpack and ruffles inside the first aid kit, but there's nothing in there to stitch up wounds. It'll have to wait until they reach a hospital. If they reach a hospital. Instead, Kei takes out some new bandages and some disinfectant, though the wound looks like it avoided inflammation. He quickly cleans the wound again, mumbling apologies when Tadashi sharply gasps at the sting, followed by the fresh, clean bandages. Good as new.

He then tells Tadashi to get up, pulling him into standing position by his arms. Tadashi squeaks as Kei starts undoing the brunet's belt and zipper, pulling his pants down in one go. He'll let Tadashi keep his boxers, taking a bit of joy out of the embarrassed blush colouring his friend's face. At least he's no longer looking pale. Kei then strips off his pants too and takes off the bandages around his leg, his burn wound still red and angry. He then takes Tadashi's hand and slowly pulls him into the brisk water. Tadashi's shoulders raise to his ears from the cold. 

Kei makes sure to keep Tadashi's bandaged arm out of the water as he carefully starts scrubbing his friend's torso and non-bandaged arm. Then he wraps the hurt arm over his shoulder and cautiously starts lowering down Tadashi so he's floating horizontally in the water. He keeps hold of the bony wrist around his shoulder with his own hand while the other starts undoing the mess that is Tadashi's hair. It takes a while to comb out all the knots and the water around them looks muddy from all the dirt, but eventually, Kei can run his fingers through Tadashi's hair with ease, as his friend closes his eyes blissfully. The afternoon sun beats down on them, the current of the river bubbles quietly a bit further away, the birds are chirping and there are no enemies in sight. This is the least stressed out either have been since the Endurance sank. 

When they eventually get out of the water, Kei wraps Tadashi's shivering form in his jacket, handing over the last of their chicken and rabbit, before taking their clothes to the lake to wash them. Or at least try to, without soap of any kind. At least Tadashi's clothes won't be as shit-stained as before. Maybe they can make their way back to the wreck of the Endurance. Find some washed up shampoo bottles and maybe some new clothes since the ones they have are ripped and just really, really dirty.

After he lays out their clothes to dry on the grass, he puts on his jacket over his shivering body as well, before rummaging in his satchel for the map he took from the palace. Tadashi looks over as he unfolds the paper and flattens it between the two of them. They both inspect it carefully. 

"Here's where we shipwrecked," Tadashi says softly, pointing at a piece of beach on the east. "Here's the mountain village," he points to the center of the island, between two points Matthias had marked as "Palace" and "Radio Base", and next to what was marked "Tomb", probably referring to the monastery Kei had explored only.... yesterday. Christ, it feels like ages has passed since then. 

"So then we're..." Kei points to the Palace marking and follows the blue line southward until he comes upon an area on the map where the blue line momentarily turns into a big dot, "here. That's pretty close to the beach to the south-east." Tadashi looks up at the sun and then to where the lake turned into a river again, sloping down next to a summit. 

"That way," he nods in the direction of the summit, looking out over the sea. Kei gets up and walks closer to the edge and indeed, the river goes down next to a dirt path, hugged by large rocks, which eventually transforms into a sand path rolling out onto a beach with bunkers and more ship and plane wrecks, steel and wood everywhere. 

"What say you we take a nice walk along the beach, once our clothes are dry?"

* * *

Fully clothed and rebandaged again, Kei and Tadashi reach the beach by the time the sun has started it's descend into the horizon. The boys had found an empty bunker, not far from the shore and hidden by rocky outcroppings, which they decided to call their new temporary camp. Kei had also discovered a non-wrecked little boat stranded not far away. The hull didn't seem to be broken, and there was a motor and propellers. With a bit of mechaniching, and what he remembers of his brother's rambling from work during family dinners, he could maybe get it to function again. The two of them set out to look for missing parts for their boat, along the beach. There's bits and pieces of ships everywhere, they have got to find something useful in at least one of them. 

Kei takes the lead as he scans the sand and water for anything interesting, Tadashi walking in the water not far behind him. Suddenly he hears a splash, and he turns around, hands on his rifle in seconds. What he sees instead almost makes him laugh though. Tadashi's standing in the sea, shoes off and pants rolled up, water up to his shins, evening sun making him glow. He's holding his bow in one hand and pulling an arrow out of the water with the other. The arrow is piercing the belly of a fish. Tadashi notices him staring and grins.

"Dinner."

Kei bursts out laughing. Amazing. His best friend is absolutely amazing. 

* * *

They don't make it to any of the wrecks before deciding it was getting too dark for them to do anything productive. Tadashi manages to catch 4 more fish, which they cook above the fire made strategically under a hole in the bunker's roof. The hole comes out under the outcropping so no one outside the bunker should be able to see the light or smoke unless they're standing on the roof. They barred the door with an old desk, making the fire hole the only way in. It won't be enough comfort to make them sleep without worry, but it's something.

"So tomorrow, we'll head for the wrecks and start fixing the boat," Kei sums up as he munches on his fish. "Will you help?" Tadashi smiles apologetically.

"Sorry, Tsukki. If it's not electrical, I'm afraid I can't help," he says, his legs folded against his chest, "but I'll come with you to scavenge. I can hunt while you search."

"We're gonna be eating fish for days, aren't we..." Kei pouts, mostly to make Tadashi chuckle.

"I saw some boars, actually. And some seagulls. Some crabs too."

"Truly, a feast for islanders," Kei laments. Tadashi chuckles again. Score. They eat in silence again for a while, until Tadashi silently speaks up again.

"Do you... really think it's a good idea?" He asks, face crunched in a worried frown.

"What? The scavenging?" Kei asks in return.

"The fixing the boat," Tadashi fiddles with his renewed soft hair, "is it even worth it?" 

Kei looks at his friend in silent shock. 

"What are you saying?"

"I mean..." he sighs, "what if we just get wrecked again?"

"We won't."

"I think we will, actually," Tadashi says harshly all of a sudden. "You heard those guys. The Solarii. They're stuck too. And the rescue plane, we didn't expect it to crash either." 

Kei shakes his head and huffs.

"Yamaguchi-"

"No, Tsukki, something weird is going on."

"Yeah, don't I know it," Kei scoffs bitterly. Tadashi gulps, regretting his choice of words.

"I just mean... This doesn't feel like a coincidence. There must be a reason those people think they can't get off the island, right?"

"They're crazy, that's why. They worship an old sun goddess, for crying out loud. They kill anyone who doesn’t agree with them, or didn’t you see the the theme for their city decor," Kei snaps. 

They both feel awful about what they're saying. Tadashi tries to think of a way to explain his worries without hurting Kei while Kei can't seem to calm his annoyance. He feels like his skin is itching and it makes him want to yell at someone. But he doesn't want to yell at Tadashi either.

"They think I'm their Sun King," he finally admits.

"What?"

"They-," Kei swallows, trying to get rid of the thing stuck up his throat, as he stares into the campfire. He really doesn't want to talk about this, but he and Tadashi are in this together, meaning he has to know. "There's this ascension ritual, that the people of Yamatai used to do to choose their next ruler. A woman or man had to go through some kind of trial by fire to become chosen, then they'd have to hike to the monastery where the previous ruler would give them the title of Sun Queen or King."

"And because... The wind-"

"They think I'm some sort of chosen one," Kei spits out the words like they burn his tongue, "They think I'll inherit the power to stop the storms so they can get off the island."

They're silent as Tadashi processes this new information, the only sound between them the crackling of the fire.

"But... There is no previous ruler to give you those powers. The dynasty of Yamatai would've died out ages ago... Right?"

Kei looks away from the fire to look at Tadashi.

"They think the storms are coming from Himiko herself," he says, "because she's angry, because she's not being worshipped or some shit like that. They think I'll be able to harness her power as her chosen successor and calm her down." Tadashi bites his lip, circling his arms around his legs. "Do you think they're right, Tadashi?" Kei asks, monotonously, "Do you think Himiko's really keeping us all on the island? And I'm supposed to save us all?"

Tadashi looks away, rubbing his face.

"I don't know what's causing the storms... Kei," he whispers, "I also don't know if you're the... key to stopping it. But I know there's something." He then looks at Kei again, straightening his shoulders, "And I really, really think we shouldn’t take the boat to sea unless we're sure we can actually leave."

They stare at each other. Neither is sure who's right and who's wrong, but neither wants to fight either. They're both tired, hurting, and frustrated; they know that. But the idea of having to stay longer on the island than necessary makes Kei bristle.

"I'm repairing the boat."

Kei winces as he sees Tadashi's expression turn into that of a deep sadness. Damn that boy and his sincere expressions. He sighs, defeated.

"I won't take it to sea, if you absolutely don't want me to." Tadashi looks up again, expression now hopeful. "I'm not gonna leave you behind. Never. But I am gonna repair it, no matter what." Tadashi beams at him and he flusters. "I- I need to know we have an escape plan. I need that assurance."

Tadashi's face turns into that of fondness, and he scoots over to lean against Kei's side.

"That's all I ask for," he says as he nuzzles Kei's shoulder.

* * *

As promised, the next day they start their trek for the wrecks again, Tadashi shooting game whenever he can. Kei can barely believe what they stumble upon when they reach the remains of wrecked ships. How long have sailors been crashing into this island?

"I think that's a Portuguese Galleon," he says, nodding towards the wooden forecastle and mast of a 16th century European ship.

"Think there's treasure in there?" Tadashi jokes.

"Shut up, Yamaguchi."

"Sorry, Tsukki!"

They make their way to a ripped up steamboat, similar to the kind of ship the Endurance was. They can easily make their way in from the shore, but the ship goes out into the water. The useful parts are likely underwater and thus unreachable. Kei wasn't about to risk either of them drowning, especially after the events from two days ago. The image of Tadashi's blue lips hadn't left his subconscious yet, and wasn't likely to for a while. 

"There's another bunker," Tadashi notes out loud and Kei turns to follow where he's looking at. At the edge of the cliff, overlooking the beach, was indeed another World War II bunker, this one with a huge canon aimed at the horizon. There's a sandy path leading from the bunker down to the shore, not far from where they're standing, they could easily go up there.

"The bunker at the radio tower," Kei says, turning to Tadashi, "did it have generators?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I think I know where I'll find some parts."

With that, they both make their way up the cliff, the sea wind blowing through their hair and clothes. Kei prepares his rifle, just in case the bunker isn't abandoned. He goes first, Tadashi keeping an eye behind them. Fortunately, the canon room is abandoned, meaning the rest of the building will likely be empty too, knowing the Solarii like to post guards everywhere. They still keep their guard up, knowing crazed cavemen , on the other hand, live alone. The first room is devoid of a generator but the second one has two. Kei gets to work to take what he needs while Tadashi paces around in the first room, keeping watch. His eyes casually scan over the contents on the desks and tables, spotting boxes of ammunition for their pistols and Kei's rifle, which he stashes in his backpack. As he zips up the bag, his eyes fall on the notebooks scattered on the desk. He puts his bag back on and looks over his shoulder to outside the bunker. Figuring the coast was clear for now, he lightly picks up one of the journals and starts flipping the pages, leaning against the desk. The notes are written in Japanese and there are graphics that don't seem military. He stops on a page that seems to be measuring weather patterns.

Wait... 

Tadashi studies the writing more carefully. The author was apparently scientifically researching the storms! Tadashi keeps on roaming the texts. Whoever wrote these had come to the same conclusion as Tadashi. The storms became harsher and more unpredictable every time a ship or plane was in the vicinity of the island. The author even figured out an estimate radius. It didn't matter if the ship or plane were coming towards the island, leaving the island or even just passing by. It didn't matter if the weather predictions showed days upon days of sun, as soon as something got too close, a storm would inexplicably appear and cause the vehicle to crash, making it impossible to leave.

"Alright, I'm done- Yamaguchi?" Kei appears from the second room, ductaped satchel notably heavier, but stops when he sees Tadashi engrossed in the journal.

"There _is_ something," Tadashi mumbles.

"Huh?" Kei comes closer.

"What I said, yesterday," Tadashi turns his attention to his friend, gripping the journal tighter as he turns the pages to Kei, "This here- This scientist, he figured it out too. He figured out the storms aren't random." Kei looks at the journal with skepticism. "And he theorised the cause is in a ruin somewhere. He wrote down the coordinates but no conclusion. Do you think he found it? The thing?"

Kei just looks at Tadashi for a bit and then released a deep breath.

"I don't know," he simply says. Tadashi notices Kei's hesitance and tones down his enthusiasm.

"Do you think we should check it out?" 

Kei's eye twitches and he looks away from Tadashi, obviously annoyed. 

"Do what you want," he says curtly as he starts walking towards the exit of the bunker. 

"Tsukki," Tadashi pleads, but Kei keeps walking. "Kei!" He stops, but doesn't turn. "If there's a chance it can get us off the island, we should check it out, don't you think?"

Kei still has his back turned to Tadashi. He doesn't move a muscle. Then:

"Like I said. Do what you want." Tadashi can almost feel his heart break into two. Kei resettles the strap of his satchel on his shoulder. "I'll be fixing the boat." And then he steps outside without looking back.

Tadashi feels that thing in his throat again and has to fight back tears. He knows Kei isn't upset with him. His friend needs his security, needs his escape plan. A plan Tadashi can't help with anyway. He lightly slaps his cheek, wincing as the bruise stings - he almost forgot - to get his thoughts back on track. He holds the research journal close to him as he follows Kei out of the bunker.

* * *

Tadashi found Kei neck-deep in their little dingy motorboat after he had figured out the location of the ruins the researcher talked about. He'd used Kei's map to pinpoint the coordinates and it turned out the ruins weren't actually that far from the beach they're at.

He stops right beside the boat and watches for a bit as Kei rummages around, doing mechanic-y things. Then he hears Kei briefly cry out in pain before his blond head emerges from under the floorboards, hissing and rubbing at his thumb. Tadashi tries to stop himself from grinning. He fails. 

Kei notices him finally and sends him a glare. Tadashi tries to look innocent. He fails again. Kei pouts. Tadashi thinks he loves that pout.

"It's been quiet," Kei says. Tadashi hums in agreement as he looks over the beach. They're the only ones around and it's calm. "They've got to be planning something. They wouldn't leave us alone this long otherwise, and the island isn't that big."

"They'll need time to regroup, probably. We did quite a number on their last headquarters after all." Kei snorts and grins.

"Heh. Yeah." He stays up for a little, looking out over the sand and into the forests further up inland.

"Can I... Do you need me to keep guard while you're working?" Tadashi asks, anxiety clear in his voice, as it always has been. Kei looks at him, grin fading into a neutral expression. Then he shrugs.

"If you want to go look for those ruins that journal mentioned, you should."

"Tsukki-"

"Yama." Tadashi swallows as Kei looks him in the face with those piercing eyes. Then Kei sighs again, looking down. "You're right. If whatever you find can help us off the island, we should take the chance."

"It's not that far. Up those cliffs, over there, actually," Tadashi points to their left, to the north-west. "There's a cave entrance behind a waterfall. The instructions in the journal should help."

"Be careful on your way up, then," Kei says, making ready to go back into the bowels of the boat.

"You sure you don't want to come with?" 

"I need to finish the boat."

Tadashi frowns a bit and scuffs his shoe in the sand.

"How long will that take, do you think?"

"Most of the day, probably. Maybe until nightfall?"

"I'll be back by then."

"You better," Kei says, voice sounding almost bitter. Tadashi should start heading up, but he doesn't want to say goodbye.

"Will you be okay here, alone?"

"I got my rifle, right here, and our walkie talkie, right here," Kei pats the rifle on the floorboards next to him and the talkie on his belt. 

"Alright..." 

Kei notices Tadashi's down mood and straightens up.

"Tadashi," he says, immediately catching his attention, "I'll see you at dinner."

Uncertainty eating away at his nerves, Tadashi nods and turns around, heading up the hill north-eastward. 

* * *

Tadashi feels incredibly confident in his climbing abilities. At the beach, he found a large wheel of rope and he didn't think twice before cutting a few meters away and stashing it in his bag. He now had the pickax, which turned out to be a great tool for climbing rocky cliffs. Kei staying behind was suddenly a good thing. He didn't have to stick to paths and roads inland anymore, risking an encounter with the Solarii, and instead jumped and climbed his way up the cliff with his back towards the sea. 

The route was steep and there were long periods of time where Tadashi only had his pickax and his feet on rough stone that kept him from falling to his death, the late afternoon sun beating down his neck. Luckily, there were more than enough outcroppings of grass and rock where Tadashi could just hike his way up or rest. He kept to the cliff's wall, though, having a great overview of the beach and an eye on Tsukki. Even though his friend looked hilariously tiny from how high up he was. He occasionally saw Kei looking up from his work to search him out on the cliff and Tadashi waved with a grin whenever he caught him. 

He was happy the passed few days hadn't ruined Tadashi's relationship with Kei, he thought as he kept climbing, more than halfway there. In fact, their friendship had only become stronger. With his newfound skills in climbing and hunting, Kei's respect for him seemed to have grown into some form of admiration, and Tadashi found his protective streak for Kei went above and beyond the physically impossible. They were a lot less reluctant to be physically intimate too, it seemed. Side effects from almost dying a few times, probably. Tadashi made no illusions, though. If they- _When_ they get home, the two of them will have to go through some rigorous therapy in order to sleep again in one go. Not to mention, the talks they would have with the authorities. How were they ever going to explain how they lost the rest of their crew and why they were the only two left? One thing was for sure: Tadashi never wants to hear the word 'Yamatai' ever again.

At last, Tadashi reaches the top of the cliff. He wastes no time in taking out the journal and turning to the page that showed the instructions to find the ruins, which he had dog eared. Right up ahead, he finds the waterfall the journal talks about. From here on, it's pretty straight forward. He slips behind the waterfall from the side, avoiding getting wet, and follows the cavern tunnel down. It's dark and he didn't bring a torch so he keeps a hand on the wall and takes a slow pace so as to not trip over anything. The tunnel isn't too lengthy, though, because it doesn't take long for Tadashi to reach a very large cavern, daylight streaming in from cracks up the ceiling. The cavern is grand and a historical marvel. It barely looks like a cave anymore with the frescoes and statues and pillars sculpted straight into the walls. At the center is a wide, stone staircase leading up to a high podium. Two enormous samurai statues stand next to the podium, their elbows at the same level as the stone platform, weapons at the ready. Tadashi snaps a picture, damn happy he kept the camera in his bag instead of his jacket. 

The cavern is empty except for something up on the podium, so Tadashi makes his way up the steps, uneasily eyeing the statues. When he reaches the top, he's standing behind what looks like another samurai statue, this one life-sized and kneeling, looking up at the tapestry behind the podium. Tadashi snaps another picture. The tapestry seems fairly simple. It shows an army of samurai warriors lead by a man who's standing high up on the clouds, sunrays shining off of him. The man isn't wearing samurai armour, though, but instead red ceremonial robes, and holding on to a bow and arrow, the quiver tied to his hip, and his long black hair caught by the wind. 

Must be the Stormguard and their general, Tadashi thinks, turning towards the kneeling statue and- SHIT. Tadashi gasps and moves back in shock. That's not a statue. That's.. a very very dead man! The skeleton is only held up by the armour and the katana sticking out of the corpse's stomach. He must've committed seppuku. 

This isn't Tadashi's first encounter with a dead body on this island, far from it, but this one made him particularly uneasy. Maybe because he didn't notice it was a dead body until he was standing in front of it? No... there's something else. 

Tadashi steps closer, gripping the hilt of the sword and carefully pulling it out of the skeleton, trying not to disturb it. It's covered in dust and the red string around the hilt has long since turned black. The blade still looks polished though, and very sharp. But Tadashi's attention, for some reason, stays on the hilt. There's something strange about it... Something-

As his hand travels over the buttcap, it suddenly pops open. The hilt is hollow, and there's something hidden in it. Cautiously, as to not nick himself with the blade, Tadashi takes out a small scroll of paper hidden inside. He rolls it open. It reads:

_I failed my King._   
_The ritual was corrupted._   
_The Chosen knew only death could save him and so, he took his own life._   
_Now the first and last Queen lives a half-life, a soul in a decaying body._   
_Her rage became the storms and will not stop until her soul is tied to this earth._   
_My Stormguard are sworn to protect her._   
_And they will continue, but I cannot._   
_I cannot live a life where I cannot protect my King._

_My name is Hachiko. I am the last Stormguard General._

Tadashi moves his gaze from the scroll to the general's skeleton, a shiver going down his spine. Hachiko? The boy from the mountain village? It can't possibly be... How many Hachikos can live on one island around the same time period? A lot, of course, but that doesn't feel right to Tadashi. Something tells him that this man, this general, used to be a boy living in a medicine shop in a village once. What are the odds of Tadashi finding two of this boy's notes? 

But the little scroll tells him more than just Hachiko's final moments. The soul of the last Sun Queen got stuck in her dying body, and that's what's causing the storms, according to the general. 

Tadashi takes out his walkie talkie and contacts the local history and myth expert. 

"Tsukki, I found what I was looking for."

" _I'm listening_."

"I found the tomb of the Stormguard general - I took pictures," he quickly added, "According to a note he wrote in his final moments, the soul of the last Sun Queen got somehow stuck in a corpse during a ritual and her rage is causing the storms."

" _Got stuck in a corpse?_ " Kei asks flabbergasted.

"Yeah, it's weird. Something about the Chosen taking his own life and the ritual being corrupted and that apparently trapped the queen in a decaying body, the general's words."

Kei is quiet for a while and Tadashi wonders if he lost connection. 

" _The tomb,_ " he says out of the blue, " _the corpse of the last queen is in the monastery. That's where the soul is trapped._ "

"You're telling me the cause of the storm is back to where we came from?" Tadashi whined. 

" _So, what, we free the soul and the storms will stop?_ "

"I don't know... I guess? How would you feel if you were a ghost stuck in a dead body for centuries?"

" _I'd wanna get the hell to heaven already.... So.._?"

"So..."

" _How do we release a soul to let it go to the afterlife?_ "

"... You.. You think we can?"

" _I mean, fuck it, you know. I'm as good as done with the boat but I'm not risking the ocean at night. What else are we going to d-_ "

Kei suddenly stops talking. Maybe now they really did lose connection.

"Tsukki?"

" _Shh. .... Shit... They're here. The Solarii, they're coming from the forest._ "

Tadashi's body goes cold. Kei is all alone down there.

"How many are there? I'm coming down."

" _Fuck- They're with many. I'm running._ " He can hear things shuffle on the other side of the receiver and Kei's harsh breathing as he runs. The he hears gunfire.

"Tsukki!" 

" _SHIT_ " 

A thump, more shooting, and then yelling.

"Tsukki! Tsukki!" Tadashi yells into the device desperately. "KEI!"

There's just more yelling. Kei doesn't respond. Tadashi curses and turns towards the cave tunnel. He pauses briefly to look at the note and the katana in his hand. It takes a split second for him to put the scroll back in the hilt and putting the sword under his belt. He can't explain why, but he feels like he needs to bring the katana with him. Then he starts sprinting out of the cavern.

Back outside, the sun had just started setting. Tadashi can see movement down at the beach, a clusterfuck of Solarii surrounding their bunker.

"KEI! KEI!" Tadashi yells again to dispel the feeling of helplessness. How the fuck is he gonna get down there in time. He remembers the rope he packed. It won't bring him completely down the cliff, but it'll be close enough. Hastily, he rips open his back and takes out the rope, tying the end to the tree nearest to the cliff. Then he loops the rope around his upper legs, gripping it on both ends, before jumping off the edge backwards, without a second thought. He slides down fast, not paying too much attention on his own safety, speed is of the essence right now!

He's 3/4th down the cliff when he reaches the end of the rope. He holds onto it with one hand while he digs his pickax into the rocky wall with his other, starting his climb down, once again foregoing safety for speed. 

It takes him way too long to reach the sand. He's sprinting across the beach towards where he had left Kei with their dingy little boat. To his horror, when he arrives, the beach is completely devoid of people. He see the bodies of a few Solarii scattered across the sand, Kei's handywork most likely, but Kei himself isn't anywhere to be seen. 

Then he hears the static. The static of audio feedback. And there is Kei's radio, laying on the shore, drops of blood lumping the sand together. Tadashi can't do anything but collapse onto his knees and punch the sand as he screams.

"YOU BASTARDS!" he yells into the air, "YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM FROM ME AGAIN, YOU SONS OF BITCHES!"


	9. Himitera 日寺

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yanno, in the game, when you enter the monastery in the final levels, the subtitles translate the Oni's yelling as “battle cry” which is fucking hilarious cus what the Oni are literally yelling is "battaru kuraai!"  
> Just... wow.

_They're 24 when Hachiko discovers the secret of the Sun Ritual._

_Hachiko has gone through the trials and challenges set upon him and faced them with hard work, courage and unending loyalty. As the previous general finally retires, Hachiko is chosen to inherit the title._   
_As part of his new responsibilities and considering the Queen's decreasing health, Hachiko is informed on the steps of the ritual that transfers the previous ruler's power to the new ruler, by the previous general personally and in private._

_Hachiko can't process what exactly he's hearing though, and returns to the Palace in a daze. When he and Hotaru meet that night, Hachiko confesses what he knows._

_"It's not what they told us in the monastery and with the theatre puppets. They were all lies," he says, holding Hotaru's hands in an iron grip._

_"You're certain about this?"_

_"They told me so I could be there. To... Protect."_

_Hotaru swallows but the lump in his throat won't move._

_"We should run," Hachiko whispers, not sure if the walls have ears or not, "Do what we said we'd do. Get a boat. See what's beyond the horizon-"_

_"Hachi," Hotaru says curtly, grabbing him by the shoulders, "You know we can't. When she finds out, she'll use the seas to find us and kill us, you know that."_

_"But we can't stay on the island either. The Stormguard would find us within hours, there's nowhere to hide here!"_

_Hotaru closes the gap between them and holds his friend, his love, his heart tightly in his arms._

_"There's one more thing we can do," he says, voice cracking. Hachiko holds him tighter. "We could end it all. Stop this from happening ever again."_

* * *

In his anger, it took Tadashi until late into the night to figure out how to start the boat Kei had repaired. He grit his teeth, thinking that if he had just walked to the monastery he would've been there already. That's where they'll be bringing Kei, he was certain of it. They had done the fire ritual, the next step would be to go to the monastery and do the power-transfer thing. That's where they'd be so that's where Tadashi was going to follow them. And it just so happens there's a river right under the monastery that leads right to their piece of beach. If he could just get the damn thing started and in the water...

He had to navigate their boat with only the moon to light his way so it was tricky and also took way too long. Tadashi tried to calm himself by thinking if he hadn't taken the boat, he would've had to hike all the way across the island. He'd need the energy to shoot every Solarii in his path. But it still took him hours to finally make it to the mountain pass where the bridge to the monastery was visible, high up above. Tadashi barely took the time to tie the boat to a nearby tree, not really checking the knot, before he was sprinting up the steep staircase up along he chasm. 

Suddenly, the moon's light disappears, hidden by dark clouds, and a strong wind starts making it's way through the ravine. Tadashi had to dig his pickax in the wall and hold on for dear life in order to not be blown back down. He slowly continued his way up, holding on to outcropping rocks and by pulling himself forward with the ax. 

When he makes it to the other side of the bridge, he can tell the Solarii must've already been here. The torches and lanterns inside the building are lit and there's barrels of fuel strategically placed along the stone bridge. The second he steps closer, arms high up to protect him from the aggressive wind, four Solarii soldiers appear in the exit and from behind the statues. They shoot at the barrels, yelling out "the outsider, he's here!", and then the bridge blows up into a thousand pieces and Tadashi's way across is gone. 

He glares at the men, knowing they weren't going to make this easy for him, but he doesn't have time for them. He immediately grabs Kei's rifle from his side, which he had found at the beach, and starts shooting back. Seven bullets later, the coast is clear again, and Tadashi is readying rope on an arrow to rappel to the other side. The wind over the chasm almost blows him off the rope, but he's using his ax and gravity. It only takes him seconds to reach the other edge of the cliff.

He doesn't take the main entrance inside, knowing more Solarii will be right there, waiting to shoot him. Instead, he climbs up towards a hole in the wall where he can see torchlight, and wiggles his way in. From there, he drops into a stone hallway. He can hear chanting and yelling from further up, as well as the gong of bonshou, Buddhist bells, ringing out in a slow rhythm. Tadashi crouches down as he makes his way through an arch, and arrives on the balcony of a huge chamber. From his vantage point, he can see a progression of samurai warriors walking in perfect formations from one side of he hall to the other. As they walk, they ki-shout, to keep the rhythm. It's an intimidating sight that makes even Tadashi's inhuman resolve falter for a second. But they hadn't seen him yet, nor can he see any Solarii in the parade. 

He'd think the Solarii and the Stormguard soldiers - who are still doing their jobs centuries later, just like Hachiko's scroll had said they would - would be working together, considering they have the same objection: protecting their Ruler. And yet, the Solarii are nowhere to be seen. As Tadashi watches the parade walk on, he feels really uncomfortable. Something on top of the anxiety of watching potentially-zombie warriors make ready for battle. There's just a general wrong-ness about the whole scene. Something corrupted.

The balcony he's standing on continues into another hallway that leads to the monastery's backdoor of some kind. From here he can see a whole ravine making it's way to the east. The crevices cut around more stone and wooden buildings, keeping them connected only via wooden bridges that break down under the force from the still blowing wind. The farthest building is also the tallest and one he's already seen before. The huge round tower he could see from the radio tower, it cuts into the sky with huge wooden pillars and an impressively large statue from Himiko smack in the middle. The walls are falling apart, though, and whatever room was at the tippy top no longer has a roof. 

Then he sees them. Between the stronghold and the tower, Tadashi can see Matthias, dragging a white-clad and limping Kei - he'd recognise that blond hair anywhere - into another stone building.

"TSUKKI! TSUKKI!" He yells, cupping his hand around his mouth. He wants to let Kei know that he's here and he's coming for him, but the wind blows his words right out of the air. Tadashi rolls his hands into fists and starts running to the edge of the ravine. The bridge is useless so he once again uses his bow to make a rope bridge and rappel himself to the other side. There, he comes across a grueling sight. 

He's sure now that the Solarii and Stormguard are not friends, as he watches a huge samurai warrior simply pick up a struggling Solarii soldier and bite his head off. Tadashi wants to vomit. These aren't zombies. They're Oni. Demons. And they're defeating the Solarii as if they're just ants running around the Stormguards' picnic table. Tadashi moves back in shock, and that's when one of the Oni notices him. He panics. He doesn't have any weapons that could possibly pierce that armor. He desperately goes for his rifle but the Oni simply slaps it out of his hand. Tadashi scrambles for something, anything! Then his hand lands on the general's katana, and he slides it out of his belt, pointing it at the Oni. It suddenly stops coming towards him. The whole courtyard seems to freeze. It's looking straight at the katana.

Tadashi’s breathing harshly and carefully straightens himself, keeping the katana pointed at the Oni. Does it... recognise the sword? 

Then the Oni puts away it's club and kneels, bowing deeply before Tadashi. The other Stormguard warriors gathered on the courtyard of the stronghold, lay down their weapons as well and then bend at the waist, bowing deeply at Tadashi, comepletely ignoring the few Solarii left. They fall in line, making a straight opening for him to the next building, where he saw Kei disappearing into. He keeps the katana unsheathed, pointing it straight forward in case one of them decides to attack anyway. But they don't. They must think he's their long lost general because of the sword. Is that why they're like this? Eating anyone who intrudes instead of just keeping their Ruler safe, because they had no general to lead them for centuries? Tadashi doesn't contemplate long on the issue. He has a best friend to save.

* * *

Matthias had dragged Kei across half the island by now. Through forests, over rocky paths, sneaking through that monastery again, over wooden bridges that were falling apart, through a horde of Stormguard warriors - sacrificing his Solarii so that the two of them could keep going - and now up an endless spiral staircase up the temple tower, all on an aching leg, his hands tied behind his back again and in nothing but a flimsy white kimono they had forced on him at their improvised camp. Kei is cold, hurting, missing Tadashi and fucking pissed. He hasn't stopped struggling since they grazed his wounded leg with a bullet and taken him from the beach and he wasn't about to stop now.

"Let go of me, you sick son of a bitch!" He keeps yelling at Matthias who has a strong grip on his upper arm. He keeps on hefting Kei up the stairs with merely a huff. 

"Your struggles are futile in your condition," Matthias rumbles loudly so Kei can hear him over the rushing and whistling from the wind outside the tower, "You'll be in less pain if you just cooperate."

"Like hell I'll cooperate!" Kei shakes his shoulders again in an attempt to shake Matthias off but nothing is working. "I know what the ritual is! I know you lied to me!"

At this Matthias turns around and punches Kei square in the face, making him fall backwards down some steps. Kei gasps in pain, his side is definitely going to bruise and his leg feels like it’s on fire again.

"Then you know what's at stake, boy," Matthias says in a low tone, his rage palpable in his expression, "I have waited years for this! I've given my life. I've made my sacrifices. Now it's time for you to make yours."

* * *

When Tadashi makes his way into the Shrine, Matthias and Kei are nowhere to be found. They must've already moved on to the tower. That's probably where they'll perform the ritual. He's out of breath - from running and fighting against Solarii and the literal wind - so he leans his hands on his knees to take a short break. As he's looking down, he notices he's standing on a gold floor painting. He straightens up and looks around the room. He must be in some kind of preparatory ceremony room, with the dressers and the ruined clothes lying around but the floor paintings and the statues are particularly interesting. Himiko is there again, of course, sitting on her pillow of clouds in her own alcove but the room is just filled with statues of Kings and Queens. As if they made a statue for every single one and displayed them here. The floor paintings show 4 scenes. The fire ritual, a hike up the mountains, water flowing from one vase to the next and then a newly crowned King and Queen. The ascension ritual. 

The painting of the vases particularly catches Tadashi's attention. There's something nagging at him, at the back of his mind. He looks back at the Himiko statue.

"The first..." and then his eyes widen, "... And the last."

And then it clicks. He has all the puzzle pieces, and he's figured out how to finish it. He's figured out exactly where every piece fits. He looks at the vase painting.

"Transference... of a soul, not power," he looks at the kings and queen, "your successors... They're your vessels!" He looks at the Himiko statue as if he's speaking to the Queen herself. "It was always you, just in a different body! And your last victim must've figured it out and got you trapped!" Tadashi laughs, harshly. The Queen everyone must've so believed in and revered was just an evil sorceress with an obsession for eternal life. "You must've been so pissed, being outsmarted like that. And, what, now no one gets to leave the island until you've got a young body to steal again? You want Tsukki now?"

Tadashi's crazed grin turns into a deadly glare and he squares his shoulders. "Well, you're not getting him."


	10. Himiko 卑弥呼

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did this in FOUR DAYS  
> How and why.

_They're 25 when they die._

_Hotaru is dressed in a ceremonial white kimono, similar to the ones the Priestesses in the monastery wore. On his forehead, they paint a white sun. He stands on the pyre in the ritual chamber under the Palace and survives, thanks to the will of the current Sun Queen. He takes the pilgrimage to the monastery close to his home. The Queen and the Stormguard will already be in the Sun Temple, checking security, preparing for his arrival, making the Sun Chamber ready. Hotaru finds comfort in the knife Hachiko gave him, hidden up his sleeve, as he makes the long walk._

_At the monastery, he is greeted by a crowd of people, watching in awe as the next King passes right before them. Hotaru briefly spots his parents and Hachiko's mother in the mass of people. His mother is close to tears. Unsurprisingly, so is his big brother. They all look so proud and Hotaru's heart breaks into a million pieces._

_After the monastery, Hotaru must walk with the Stormguard through the stronghold, protecting the Temple. From here on, none of the citizens are allowed to enter. The soldiers escort him to the shrine, where only the general and the priestesses are allowed to enter. There, they redress him in new, clean robes, washing away the soot on his face and the dirt on his feet. The chamber they're in has golden statues of every Ruler of Yamatai since Himiko, the first Sun Queen. His statue would've been here too, right next to Hoshi's. He wonders what her thoughts were as she was brought here. Had she been excited? Or terrified, like Hotaru?_

_Finally, he continues to the last part of the ceremony. Not even the priestesses are allowed to enter into the Temple while the ritual is in progress. He climbs the endless stairs until he emerges in the Sun Chamber. A large round room at the top of the building, with stone arches and a glass dome for a ceiling. There's light streaming in everywhere._

_The old, weathered Sun Queen kneels on her podium in the centre of the room, she can barely sit straight anymore. The robes she's wearing look heavy and her elaborate hairdo must be a burden on her neck. She looks pathetic despite who she really is. Hachiko is standing by her side in full plate armour. He's wearing his helmet so Hotaru can't see his face, even though he desperately wants to._

_Queen Hoshi gestures for him to sit before her. He does. She croaks in a tired voice as she performs the transfer chant. Hotaru can feel the sweat on his back soaking his kimono. The paint on his forehead must be pealing. No matter. The new King will freshen up before he will greet his subjects._

_The Sun Queen chants the final word and suddenly, the room is filled with energy and Hotaru feels his soul being squashed into nothing. In a split second, he takes out the knife in his sleeve and stabs himself in the heart with no hesitation. The last thing he hears is the screams of the dying Sun Queen. The last thing he sees is his Hachiko's face, running towards him, flinging his helmet to the side. The last thing he feels is his beloved's arms around him as he slips into darkness._

* * *

When Tadashi exits the shrine building, it had started snowing. 

It's impossible for him to tell the time seeing as it's like the clouds have completely surrounded him and the tower. The wind howls in his ears and Kei's jacket flaps around his torso. The arrows in their quiver clatter together and his hair constantly falls in front of his eyes. 

But none of it matters. Kei is somewhere in this tower, most likely at the top, and he needs to get to him. Just like when Kei came for him in Shantytown. 

As Tadashi runs closer, the clouds start to rumble and lightning strikes right before his feet. The ground catches fire, blocking the entrance to the tower. Himiko herself is trying to stop him from interrupting the ritual, it seems. Tadashi grits his teeth and takes out his pickax. Looks like he's not going to be using the stairs.

He sprints towards the side of the building, where it meets the rocks of the mountains, and starts climbing, avoiding getting struck by more lightning and using all his strength to not get blown away by the wind. The wood from the tower walls are getting ripped from their frames, creating an opening for Tadashi when he can't dig his ax in the mountain anywhere. He jumps across the gap, rolling back into a run in a random room. It's impossible to see what the room was used for since it's as good as completely destroyed by the weather. The ceiling is gone but it gives Tadashi the perfect opening to climb the wood to the top.

It takes forever, considering the height of the temple, but finally Tadashi pulls himself up on a stone platform that looks like it used to be the balcony surrounding the room that was the tip of the tower. Tadashi gathers his bearings as he sees, between what's left of the pillars, the center of the room. Matthias is holding Kei down on his knees in front of a low podium, where a life-sized doll of the queen seems to sit. Kei is struggling under the pressure of Matthias' hands while Matthias is yelling into the stormy sky.

"Oh Great Queen!" He solemnly yells to the doll in front of them. "Through the trials, I have brought you the vessel. Pour forth, and return to this mortal coil! Pour forth, and be reborn! Pour forth, and awaken!"

With those words, the porcelain doll gasps and starts screaming, blue electricity coming out of it, causing the porcelain mask to crack away. That's not a doll, it's a dead body! Himiko's dead body! And it's screaming!

Matthias moves back as the blue light surrounds Himiko and stretches towards Kei, who also starts screaming in pain. The light, or electricity, or magic, or whatever it is, starts to pull at Kei, making him bend his back at an impossible angle. Tadashi starts running towards the center platform, leaping over the gap between it and the stone balcony.

"KEI!" He screams as he takes his bow and knock a fiery arrow, pointing it straight at Himiko's heart. Before he can shoot, Matthias turns around and shoots Tadashi's bow out of his hands. He reloads but that's when Tadashi strikes. He runs towards Matthias, throwing himself at him and tackling both of them to the ground. Matthias' gun flies out of his hands and skids over the floor before Tadashi pulls back his fist and punches Matthias' skull into the ground. He throws another punch but Matthias catches this one in his hand and punches back, making Tadashi falter enough for them to switch around. They roll around the center platform, punching, kicking, biting and pulling until Matthias gains the upper hand, holding Tadashi's upper body over the edge of the platform by the throat. 

Tadashi gasps as Matthias starts pushing him further off the edge by his neck. He bends to try and get his foot closer to his flailing hand, so he can take out his knife from it's hiding place, but he can't reach it. His strength starts to leave him as Matthias cuts off his air supply. Until suddenly three gunshots ring out, and Matthias screams as he let's go of Tadashi. From the ground he can see Kei, the gun that must've skidded towards him falling out of his hand as he loses consciousness, only being held up by the energy streaming out of Himiko. 

Tadashi knees Matthias in the crotch and turns them around. It's now Matthias who hangs over the edge and Tadashi doesn't waste a second before kicking him over. Matthias screams as he goes down the chasm until it abruptly stops. 

Now there's only the Queen left. 

Tadashi crawls upright, panting. He has to hold onto the ground as the wind and snow hit him and try to unbalance him, but he keeps fighting, keeps going until he's between Kei and Himiko. He takes out the general's katana, holding it back to strike but then stops. Cutting her won't help, she's already dead. He needs to completely desecrate the body if he wants to destroy the soul too. He'll have to burn it. He fishes out the whetstone he still has in his pants pocket and uses the katana to create sparks. The dry flimsy robes of the queen catches fire and from there it doesn't take long for the entire mummified corpse to catch aflame. Tadashi leaps back and catches Kei in his arms before he hits the floor, the blue energy releasing it’s hold as the Queen continues to screams in agony. He holds his face against Kei's hair as they lay on the ground, in an attempt to protect him from any more incoming magic or the storm, which only seems to get more violent and louder.

For a brief moment, he wonders if he made the right choice by destroying the body, or if he only made Himiko's rage worse. But then the snow seems to surround the two of them in white, and then the screaming and rage of the storm stops. 

Tadashi slowly opens his eyes, lifting his face from Kei's to look at what's become of Himiko. He sees she's gone, completely turned to ashes. Between him and the smoking remains, though, stand two people. They're see-through and looking at the ashes with disdain. One is wearing the warrior robes from the tapestry from the general's tomb, the other is wearing a white kimono, exactly like Kei's wearing right now. The warrior turns to look at him, their freckled faces eerily similar. He crouches down to take the katana Tadashi had dropped, and sheaths it at is hip. Then he bows at the waist, with a grateful smile. Tadashi watches, wide-eyed, as the warrior turns around and takes the other man's hand and they both look up towards the sky, where slowly, the clouds start parting, and sunlight starts seeping through. As the light hits them gently, they disappear. 

The white vanishes from Tadashi's vision and slowly, the platform and the tower return. The storm is gone, making way for gentle sunlight.

Then Kei groans in his arms, groggy eyes slowly opening behind his glasses. He twitches and frowns in pain and Tadashi holds him tighter against his body, cradling his shoulders. 

"It's okay," he says softly, gently brushing some ashes from Kei's cheek, "I'm here. It's over."

* * *

The climb down back to the boat was the slowest, longest walk they had ever taken in their life.

Both boys were incredibly tired and barely had enough energy to stand. Tadashi took the lead, using whatever adrenaline he had left to carry the two of them down the stairs and through the canyon. The Solarii were nowhere to be seen and the Stormguard were still in the same position Tadashi had left them. The monastery was empty, devoid of anything moving except for Tadashi, panting and sweating, and Kei, limping and trying not to pass out. Compared to all that, the walk down the stairs of the chasm to the boat felt like a cakewalk. 

When they enter the boat, Tadashi moves to put Kei down to sit against the railing, but Kei wordlessly gestures for him to let go. Tadashi really really really doesn't want to, but he reluctantly does and Kei limps towards the boat's control panel and steering wheel. A few moments later, they're making their way out of the chasm and down the river, finally making their way to the open ocean, without the threat of a storm, at long last. 

Tadashi lays himself down on the wooden floor panels, exhausted and aching everywhere. He's going to have muscle pains for days and he mildly hopes he didn't fuck up his ribs forever. He refuses to sleep though. He doesn't think he can without Kei right next to him. He vaguely hears Kei use the boat's radio to call for help. If the static-y voice through the receiver is anything to go by, someone has pinged their distress call. 

Eventually, Kei lays down next to Tadashi.

"A ship is coming to pick us up, they'll be a while," he says in a croaky voice. It's a miracle his vocal chords aren't destroyed, given the way Tadashi had heard him scream during the ritual. Those screams are going to haunt his nightmares forever, he’s sure.

"That's good," he tiredly mumbles. Kei turns his head to look at him, and he looks back. "Tired?"

"So tired," Kei sighs back, and then they both move towards each other, both taking the other in their arms and burying their faces in the other's neck. They made it out, they're going home, they're together.

They survived. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very very much for reading!  
> Please leave a kudo if you enjoyed and leave a comment if I made you hurt c:


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